A native of Richmond Hill, born November 5, 1959 only child to single mom Anne Porter, happened upon the sport of bowling by chance.
While going for a walk with her mom one day, they discovered a group of parents along with their children at one of Ontario’s most modern bowling centres of its time. Allencourt Lanes, a sixteen lane centre, was having registration for the newly formed Youth Bowling Council and Heather, persuaded by her mom, started her career in five pin bowling.
It was here at Allencourt, where Heather would meet many of York Simcoe’s future Hall of Famers that would have an everlasting influence on her. First, there was Jack Hill and Jim Hoult. Jack, who was more like a father figure, was heavily involved with the YBC as a Teaching Master and a coach. Jim was one of the top bowlers in Ontario and the Chief Instructor in the Youth league. Both Jack and Jim took an interest in Heather’s bowling approach, as she was a southpaw. Jim was convinced that in order for Heather to succeed as a bowler, she had to learn to bowl right-handed. Jack, on the other hand realized that there was nothing wrong with her approach and was convinced that the best thing to do was to let her bowl left-handed. Many a battle ensued over this issue. Next there was another of tonight’s inductees, Betty Wolfreys. Betty was also a coach, Teaching Master and one of the Zone’s top female bowlers. John Allen, Proprietor of Allencourt also contributed to establishing Heather’s bowling ethics, by allowing her free practice time.
Just after the Master Bowlers’ Association introduced the Teaching Division in 1967, Jack and Betty were among the first to sign up. This meant that the Master Bantam tournament was available to all Masters and Youth bowlers. By now, Heather at the age of ten, was eligible to participate in this tournament. Obviously, Heather continued to impress Jack and Betty and even Jim had a keen eye on this left-handed bowler, as all three of them battled to see who be their partner.
After a devastating fire destroyed Allencourt Lanes in 1972, the Youth Bowling Council moved to ABC Bowl. With Jack as Program Director and Heather, now in the Junior division, continued to impress. In 1973 Heather was a member of the 4 Steps to Stardom Junior Girls team, coached by Mabel Haviland, that captured Provincial honours and advanced to the Nationals in Saskatoon. It was here at ABC where, along with Bill Jones, Heather implemented a Tyke league for the young bowlers. After graduating from the YBC Heather continued to stay involved with the Tyke league. In 1983, at Jack’s request, Heather joined the Master Bowlers’ Association. As well Heather would qualify for the Open on four occasions, twice as a Singles competitor and once on both the Ladies and Mixed teams.
When health issues prevented Heather from continuing her bowling past the age of thirty-two, plus the fact that after her marriage to John Cresswell in 1987, she had two boys less than one year apart, Heather turned her attention to York Simcoe. While Andrew James who was born in 1988 and John Michael the following year, were a welcomed addition for big sister Cheryl, it was the Association who became the benefactor of Heather’s leadership.
The list of these accomplishments is as impressive as the number of positions that she has held. Over a twenty-seven year period, Heather has had seven different portfolios. This list includes two years each as Secretary, Publicity and Kids Help Phone chair, four years as Average Book chair, eight years as Publicity chair, nine years as North South Co-ordinator and is in her thirteenth year as President. Let’s not forget, four years at the Provincial level as co-chair of the Marketing committee. In the incentive awards department at the Provincial level, Heather leads the way in the Coaching category with six awards as Coaching Co-ordinator of the Year, most in that category in Ontario. As President, Heather has guided the Association to top honours on four different occasions. The first one came in 2003, the year after John took top honours. She followed that up with other wins in 2005, 2007 and 2014.
In retrospect, while Heather feels her greatest accomplishments include her 1973 Junior Girls 4 Steps to Stardom and 1983 Export ‘A’ National Classified tournament wins, being a mom to her grown children tops the list.
Today, after spending thirty years as a Domestic Engineer, Heather runs a very successful business with Avon as a Leadership and Sales Representative.
York Simcoe owes a debt of gratitude to Anne, who made sure Heather was part of the bowling experience, and today at the age of eighty, can’t be any prouder as she watches her daughter being inducted into the Builders division of the York Simcoe Hall of Fame.