Greater Napanee - Sports

Sports

The Napanee Raiders Jr. C hockey club joined the Empire B Junior C Hockey League in 1989. In that time they have claimed eight league championships. In 1993 they went on to capture the All-Ontario, Clarence Schmalz Cup as the Ontario Hockey Association's Junior "C" ice hockey champions by defeating the Hanover Barons of the Western Ontario Junior C Hockey League. The Raiders are the only EBJCHL team to ever capture the All Ontario title. Their home games are played in the newly constructed Strathcona Paper Centre. Prior to the Raiders, Napanee played in the Quinte-St. Lawrence Junior C Hockey League as The Napanee Kelly Tiremen. Their uniform resembled the green, yellow and white uniform of the Minnesota North Stars formerly of the NHL. In 1980, the Kelly Tiremen were rebranded as the Napanee Warriors. The Warriors and the league ceased operation in 1986.

Napanee made one appearance in the Ontario Junior "B" Provincial hockey championship playoffs during the 1934-35 season. The Napanee team was eliminated by Peterborough, from the Sutherland Cup quarter final playoffs in a two games, total goals series.

The Napanee Comets were a successful Ontario Major Intermediate A Hockey team that won three consecutive Ontario championships in 1958, 1959 and 1960 and provincial Intermediate B championships in 1971 and 1972.

The Lennox & Addington Lynx floor hockey team took the gold medal at the Special Olympics Canadian National Winter Games in Quebec City in 2008, defeating teams from across the country.

Napanee is also well known for its success in both boys and girls softball. The Napanee North Key Express won the 2010 Canadian Junior fastball championship defeating the host Nova Scotia Eagles 6-1 in the national final. The Napanee (Junior) Express boys claimed a National Junior Fastball title in 1996 while Napanee Midget boys fastpitch teams have won national championships on three occasions. The Napanee Legionnaires captured the Canadian title in 1982 and the Napanee (Midget) Express took top honours in 1997 and 2005. Also in 2008, the Napanee (Bantam) Express girls fastball team captured the provincial tier II title defeating Oakville 7-4 in the final. The girls also became the first team in Napanee history to qualify for the Eastern Canadian Championships where they finished in second place.

The Napanee Golf and Country Club was established in 1897. The course has nine holes, with different tees for the front and back nine. The course record is 63 set by legendary American golfer Sam Snead.

The Napanee Curling Club was established in 1957 and numerous teams have captured Zone and District titles. Napanee was selected to host the 2010 Ontario Tankard, the annual men's curling championship that sends its winner to the Canadian championship. The event was held February 1–7 at the Strathcona Paper Centre. Glenn Howard, representing Coldwater and District Curling Club, completed a perfect week by defeating Bryan Cochrane of the Rideau Curling Club 5-3 in the final, to capture his fifth straight title.

Napanee District Secondary School is the home of the Golden Hawks. The Golden Hawks field teams in various sports including hockey, football, basketball, rugby, gymnastics, volleyball, swimming and track. The Golden Hawks compete against high schools teams in the "Kingston Area Secondary Schools Athletic Association" (KASSAA). In 2008, the Napanee girls rugby team and the boys junior and senior squads all won league championships. In 2009, the girls gymnastics team earned the bronze medal for their overall result at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association's (OFSAA) provincial gymnastics championship meet held in Windsor, Ontario.