Two Yukon athletes are to be inducted into the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame.

An induction ceremony for the 2020 class will take place May 6 at the Enmax Centre’s Canadian Western Bank Lounge in Lethbridge.

The 2020 class was supposed to have been inducted in 2021, but the ceremony was delayed due to COVID restrictions.

The 2021 male recipient is former Lethbridge Hurricanes and Team Canada hockey star Dylan Cozens, who is now with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.

The 21-year-old played 179 games for the Hurricanes, scoring 95 goals and 128 assists for 223 points.

Cozens added 14 goals and 15 assists for 29 points in 35 playoff games.

Cozens had an outstanding 2021 World Junior tournament, leading Canada in scoring and finishing second overall with 16 points. Team Canada had to settle for silver following a 2-0 loss to the U.S. in the gold medal game. The 20-year-old centre was named one of Canada’s top three players in the tournament.

Cozens previously won gold in 2020 at the World Juniors in the Czech Republic, tallying two goals and seven assists for nine points.

Cozens is in his second season in the NHL and has already reached a career-high in points with 31 (12 goals, 19 assists) in 60 games.

Cozens was not available for a comment on his induction in to the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame.

Yukoner Christine Moser, 23, now living in Lethbridge, is a co-recipient of the female induction into the Hall. The other female co-recipient is University of Lethbridge rugby star Hailey Driscoll.

Moser played three years for the Lethbridge College Kodiaks from 2017 to 2020. She was named the Alberta College Athletic Conference (ACAC) South Women’s Player of the Year in 2019. Moser tallied five goals and three assists that season. She was also awarded ACAC All-Conference and Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Academic All Canadian honours.

Moser was asked how she felt about the induction into the Hall.

“It was surprising. I actually didn’t even know about the award, but I’m very very honoured to be chosen, or nominated.”

Moser attributed the induction in the Hall of Fame to playing at Lethbridge College.

“I got Academic All-Canadian two years I was at the college, if not all three. I got CCAA All-Canadian. One year, I won the athlete of the year for the college. I got (ACAC) South Player of the Year, as well, one year.

“I also ran on the track team that year as well, the same time as doing soccer. I think that contributed to it. I wasn’t as good at it, but I wasn’t the last in my races.

“I just liked running too and having good cardio playing soccer is huge, especially – I played centre midfield, so I was running lots all the time, all over the field, so definitely had to have some good cardio.”

“And then COVID hit, so we didn’t play the next year, so I couldn’t try and do it again,” she added.

As a result, despite studying at the college for four years, Moser only played three years on the pitch.

Unfortunately, Moser didn’t have an opportunity to play for a national championship.

“Just the provincial championships,” said Moser.

“We didn’t make it to nationals because you have to win the provincials first, then go to nationals. We got third two years in a row.”

Moser explained what she thought enabled her to win the honour of going into the Hall.

“I think I’m a hard worker, and I always push myself to be better. I know that I can always be better. There’s always a next level, and so I work hard even outside of practice. Always go to the gym extra and I’m always taking those extra steps to see ‘what can I do to make it to the next step to be better?’”

As for who stood out as a supporter of hers when she thought about her induction in the Hall, “definitely my coaches,” said Moser.

“I believe (Lethbridge College Kodiaks Coach) Sean (Carey) was the one who nominated me. He definitely supported me all through my career there. That was awesome. My other coaches too – really great. The physio (therapist) who worked with us, Morgan Kurio, she really inspired me to push myself to be better too. She did some programming stuff and that program really helped me through the summer – get me to that next level. That was a big part of it,” she related.

“My family always supports me too.”

What about advice for up and coming kids?

“Don’t give up. Always work hard. Be yourself. Be humble about it.

“If you really want it, you can get it. You just have to put in the extra work. If you love what you’re doing, it makes it a lot easier finding people who can help you get to the next step.

“And just enjoy what you’re doing. Cause that’s a big thing for me, too. I always loved – I just loved it so much. And I wanted to be good. And better. And get better all the time.”

Moser is keeping pretty busy these days.

“Now I’m just working. I finished my Exercise Science diploma and my Massage Therapy diploma at the college, so currently working at The Bridge Sports Therapy and Training and massage therapy. And I’m also doing some personal training and group fitness training at a gym called F45 and then I’m also working at the college still doing recreation services and personal training.

“I don’t like to be bored.”

Of course, she still finds time to kick it on the pitch.

“I’m mostly just doing recreational league soccer. I think I’m going to play AMSL (Alberta Major Soccer League) this summer.”

The AMSL is the highest level of amateur soccer in Alberta. It’s roughly level 4 on the Canadian soccer pyramid, although levels below 3 are not formally designated by the Canadian Soccer Association.

The idea of a pro career doesn’t seem to appeal to Moser.

“Originally going into school, I didn’t expect – I wasn’t going to play any soccer or do any sports, because I thought the course load was going to be too much for me. And then I just decided to go out to the tryouts anyway, just for fun, and then they wanted me on the team, and just went from there,” she recalled.

“School was my first priority and I never looked at myself as being very good at my sport.”

When it was mentioned that others like the Hall of Fame beg to differ, Moser replied “I’m always shocked still. I’m just there, having fun.”