Marshall Poirier was born and raised in New Waterford. From an early age, he became an active member of the sports community as both a player and coach. Marshall was an accomplished soccer, basketball, baseball and hockey player in his high school years and beyond, Serving as Captain of the 1962/63 Saint Agnes Soccer team, Marshall led his team-mates and school to their first ever provincial title by scoring the winning goal. As a result, Marshall and his team were inducted into the New Waterford Sports Hall of Fame in 2015. Hockey was a favorite sport of Marshall's. He and his team captured the Eastern Nova Scotia Championship in 1961. Marshall was touted as one of the most committed players who helped to bring home this coveted award. Marshall was a very dedicated volunteer and coach. He enjoyed coaching the elementary and grade school basketball and soccer teams. He felt that it was important to give young athletes a very good understanding of the game and to provide them with a solid foundation for the building of skills. Marshall coached the Saint Agnes and Greenfield basketball teams for 13 years in the New Waterford Elementary Common School league. Marshall was very proud to coach his granddaughter, Jocelyn, in the Mini Coal Bowl in 2011, Because of Marshall's declining health this was to be his last year of coaching. Marshall also was very proud to encourage and watch his two granddaughters, Barbara and Brittany in the Coal Bowl Classic of 2013. Marshall's employment was long and varied, starting at a very early age. He worked at Harry Gaume's Grocery Store, The Joy Grocery Store, Ike's Delicatessen and various other grocery stores, He worked for Devco for 25 years, which was most of his career life. Marshall suffered major injuries in Lingan Mine which prohibited him from working in the mines for a period of time. Marshall was a dedicated volunteer who never failed to commit and to give his all to any project, always with his contagious smile, Marshall volunteered with The Canada Games in 1987 as a technical referee for Speed Skating, He was a valued committee member for the Saint Agnes Reunion in 1993, He was a member of the New Waterford Knights of Columbus 3209, the New Waterford Kinsmen and the Saint Agnes Men's’ Club in the 1990's, Marshall joined our Coal Bowl Classic results team in the early 2000's and remained as a treasured volunteer until his passing in April of 2015.

Donnie Blackwood was born and raised in New Waterford. Since his early years, he was an active member of both the sports and business community. Donnie was an all-around athlete in track and field, hockey, and soccer. However, his true passion was baseball. From Little League to Babe Ruth and Junior levels, Donnie was considered a star right-handed pitcher who was able to lead his hometown teams to several local and provincial championship titles. In 1958, Donnie's New Waterford Mount Carmel Juvenile team won the Nova Scotia Juvenile title defeating Halifax in the finals. In 1960, his New Waterford Mount Carmel Junior team, captured the Nova Scotia Championship defeating Dartmouth in the finals. Donnie had pitched 18 innings that weekend. In 2013, Donnie and his teammates were honored at the 32nd New Waterford Coal Bowl for their outstanding achievement in winning two Nova Scotia championships. At the age of 17, Donnie joined F.W. Woolworth Company as a Management Trainee eventually advancing to In-Store Management. He managed several stores throughout Atlantic Canada, including New Waterford. Donnie then changed careers to the tourism industry. He was Executive Director of the former Cape Breton Tourist Association for 20 years. He was a founding board member of the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia (T.I.A.N.S.), Chairman of several Nova Scotia Tourism Industry conferences, and a member of the Nova Scotia Government's Voluntary Planning Board for the tourism sector. Throughout his professional career, Donnie continued onward as a community leader, and volunteer. Donnie was Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Director of several charitable organizations, committees, advisory boards, festivals, community celebrations, local, provincial, and national conventions, local and national sporting events throughout Nova Scotia. He has served as a member of the Knights of Columbus for more than 50 years, and the New Waterford Rotary Club for more than forty years. Donnie was President, and later elected District Governor for Rotary International District 7820 which includes Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and St-Pierre- Miquelon. Donnie received the highest honour bestowed upon a Rotarian, when he was inducted into the Paul Harris Fellowship by the New Waterford Rotary Club. In order to become a Paul Harris Fellow, a Rotarian must have exemplified the Rotary Motto “Service Above Self.” In 2014, Donnie was chosen an Honorary Member of the New Waterford Rotary Club, an honour conferred only in exceptional cases to those who have demonstrated exemplary service in the advocacy of Rotary's ideals within their community.