The 2025 inductees for the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame mark a significant milestone with various first-time achievements. This year’s roster comprises three athletes, notably including the province’s inaugural water polo and rugby honorees, along with two builders and two teams.
Matthew Gourlie, the communications co-ordinator for the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, expressed excitement about the diverse group of individuals being inducted. Among the seven new members are Jon Ryan, the first Saskatchewan-born player to win a Super Bowl, and Julie Foster, a trailblazer in Canadian rugby and the first rugby player to be honored by the Hall.
Upon learning of her induction in April, Julie Foster was pleasantly surprised to discover she was making history as the inaugural rugby inductee. Foster, who has competed in rugby and hockey for Canada, attributes her success to her background in multiple sports, which has shaped her athletic mindset.
Despite being born in Manitoba, Foster has called Regina home since she was 11 and views her induction as an opportunity to give back to the community that has supported her. As the first rugby inductee, Foster is humbled by the impact she has had on inspiring others to pursue and excel in the sport.
Jon Ryan, a household name in Saskatchewan sports, has now secured his place in the province’s sporting legacy as a Super Bowl champion. Reflecting on his induction, Ryan expressed gratitude for the recognition and described the experience of seeing his display in the Hall of Fame as surreal, especially considering his childhood visits to the institution.
Best known for his successful NFL career, particularly with the Seattle Seahawks, where he achieved the milestone of being the first Saskatchewan-born player to win a Super Bowl in 2014, Ryan later fulfilled his dream of playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders post-NFL retirement. He hopes his journey serves as inspiration for aspiring athletes from Saskatchewan to pursue their dreams on an international stage.
A notable feature of this year’s induction class is the inclusion of the province’s first mother-son duo to be enshrined together: Builder Klara Kesmarky Miller and her son Noah Miller, who is also the Hall’s first water polo inductee. Additionally, the class celebrates two champion teams: the 1997 and 1998 Regina Rams Football Club and the 1978 and 1980 Saskatoon Harmony Centre Women’s Softball Team.
Gourlie emphasized the importance of community support in preserving the legacies of Saskatchewan’s outstanding athletes. For Jon Ryan, who once admired the Hall’s inductees as a child, the honor of being among them now is a surreal experience that he finds incredibly cool.
