The latest batch of candidates for the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame is a mix of old and new names. It's an impressive group that includes a world champion, an NHL player, a CFL player, an all-American and Canadian medallists. Five are candidates for the first time. The other 11 were on the ballot before, including 10 returnees from last year.

The newcomers are figure skaters Shae-Lynn Bourne and Joelle Batten-Daigneau, volleyball coach Dale Lahey, figure-skating volunteer Jane Saville and the 1987 Chatham McDonald's peewee baseball team.

One candidate from each of the four categories will be chosen for induction by Hall of Fame voters. The Class of 2008 will be announced July 11. The annual induction ceremony will be Sept. 11 at the W.I.S.H. Centre.

The candidates are:

Athlete-Modern: Joelle Batten-Daigneau, Shae-Lynn Bourne, Carrie (Dillon) Carleton and Jamie Jefferson;

Athlete-Legend: Ron Blommers, Dennis McCord, Shirley Pilson and Randy Rybansky;

Builder: Dale Lahey, Bill Stobbs, Jane Saville and Bob Weedon;

Team: 1938 Catholic Youth Organization juvenile baseball, 1986-87 Chatham Branch 28 Legion bantam hockey, 1987 Chatham McDonald's peewee baseball and 1997 Chatham Sun-Out Diamonds senior baseball.

Athlete-Modern

Bourne won 10 Canadian senior ice dance championships with partner Victor Kraatz. They captured four bronze medals at the worlds, one silver and in 2003 became the first North American dancers to win a world championship.

The three-time Olympians were inducted into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame in 2007.

Batten-Daigneau, who is Saville's granddaughter, won gold (novice ladies) and bronze (junior ladies) medals at the Canadian championships. She twice skated at the senior national championships, placing seventh in 1992 and 14th in 1993.

Carleton was a multisport star at McGregor before going to Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Mich., on a basketball scholarship. She was a two-time all-American and was inducted into the Grand Valley Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000.

Jefferson won Ontario boxing championships at the junior, intermediate and senior levels. He also won medals at the Canadian championships and the Canada Winter Games, as well as Detroit Golden Gloves titles.

Athlete-Legend

Blommers led Chatham-Kent Secondary School to its first OFSAA basketball title in 1977. He also won two Canadian university hoops championships with St. Mary's and played with the men's national team.

McCord starred in several sports but excelled at hockey, making the Chatham Jr. Maroons as a 14-year-old. He played major junior with Toronto, Kitchener and London before enjoying a pro career that included three games with the Vancouver Canucks in 1973-74.

Pilson won numerous New Brunswick curling championships and competed at the nationals before moving in the mid-1970s to Chatham. She twice skipped Chatham Granite Club teams to the Ontario senior ladies championships.

Rybansky starred as a running back at McGregor and at Wilfrid Laurier University. He played three seasons in the Canadian Football League and went to the 1985 Grey Cup with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Builder

Lahey won two gold medals and four bronze as the CKSS head coach at the OFSAA volleyball championships, plus two more gold as an assistant coach. He also co-founded the Chatham Ballhawks volleyball club and coached teams to medals at the provincial and national levels.

Stobbs has been involved in hockey for more than 30 years as a general manager, team executive and league official. He is also a longtime director with the Ontario Hockey Association.

Saville volunteered with the Chatham Figure Skating Club for 55 years. She chaired many committees and did countless jobs at the administrative level.

Weedon has been president of the Maple City Slo-Pitch League since 1978. He is also an executive member of Softball Ontario and the Slo-Pitch Ontario Association.

Team

The 1938 CYO Juveniles were the first Chatham juvenile team to win an Ontario Baseball Association championship.

The 1986-87 Bantams won the Ontario Minor Hockey Association and All-Ontario Challenge banners. They were also chosen by the OMHA to represent Canada at a tournament in Sweden during the Christmas holidays.

The 1987 Peewees won the OBA 'AA' championship to cap a great three-year run. They were the OBA 'AA' tyke champs in 1985 and the 'A' peewee runners-up in '86.

The 1997 Diamonds won the Ontario senior elimination tournament and were silver medallists at the Canadian championship. They also won their fifth consecutive Western Counties league title.