2005 Inductees

Lynnette (Surrette) Young

Higher, farther, faster

Lynnette is one of Berwick's most versatile athletes. At an early age she established herself as a force in the local and provincial athletic communities in an impressive variety of sports.

Lynnette made her earliest mark in figure skating. She started skating at the Berwick Figure Skating Club at the age of 8 and later at the Greenwood Figure Skating Club. By age 15, she was working on her 4th figure, 3rd and final Junior Silver Dances, and Senior Bronze Free Skate while helping to coach at the Berwick club. She also skated the leading roles in many productions at both clubs.

She was also active in a gymnastics program in Wolfville from ages eleven to thirteen and she participated in various gymnastics demonstrations throughout the Valley.

She was a member of the 1979 Kings County Champions Berwick School Junior Girls Volleyball team.

In 1980, Lynnette was the lead runner for the Nova Scotia team in the 14-and-under Mile Medley Race at the Legion National Track and Field Championships in Saskatoon where they won the Gold Medal. She also placed 4th in the High Jump and 5th in the Girls 100 m. Sprint.

In 1981, Lynnette simply overwhelmed the competition. At the Kings County Track and Field Meet she set a new Junior High Jump record of 1.50 m. In the Western Regionals she set a new Junior High Jump record of 1.53 metres, a record that still stands today. At the Provincial Track and Field Meet at Beazley Field in Dartmouth she set a new Junior High Jump record. She also held the Kings County record in the 100 m. Sprint and the 100 m. Hurdles. In the Canada Games Selection Meet she won the 100 m. Hurdles but was not eligible to go to the Games because she was too young. She was also a member of the Berwick School Junior Girls Volleyball team when they again won the Kings County Championship.

The next year brought much success as well. Lynnette won the 100 m. Sprint and 100 m. Hurdles and came second in the High Jump and Long Jump at the Provincial Track and Field Meet. At the Volleyball Nova Scotia Skills Camp she was named the No. 1 Ranked Player. She was the MVP in basketball and was also named the 1981-82 Female Athlete of the Year at Berwick School.

In 1983, Lynnette set a new Western Regional Intermediate Girls High Jump record at 1.59 metres, a record that stands unbroken. She was also the Rookie of the Year in West Kings High School Basketball and MVP in West Kings Volleyball.

Throughout Junior and Senior High and beyond, Lynnette extended her outstanding athletic abilities and competitiveness to other sports as well, including ball hockey and softball. In 1992, she was MVP in the Berwick Ladies Ball Hockey League and, in 1993, she was named All-Star Forward in Berwick Ladies Ball Hockey. She still plays softball.

As Jack Spindler, her long-time coach and teacher, said, "Lynnette succeeded at very high levels in every sport in which she participated." He also said, "Opposing coaches would ask, 'Where did you get that player?'" Well, she came from Berwick.