Sport: Soccer, Badminton
Position: Official, Administrator
Year of Induction: 2002

David Seton was born in Manchester, England in 1924, served in the Royal Air Force and came to Chatham in April of 1949. He was an excellent athlete in his own right and while playing soccer and badminton, he ran leagues, officiated, and promoted the two games that he loved. David was made a life member of the Essex Kent Scottish Regiment Badminton Club in 1968 and of the Chatham and District Soccer Association in 1971. As long as he was able, he continued to organize and play badminton.

Soccer

• 1949-1959 – played in the Chatham and District Soccer League and the London and District Soccer League while living there in 1955 – 1956
• 1951-1965 – represented the Chatham and District Soccer Association (CDSA) at the Ontario Soccer Association annual meetings
• 1951-1971 – was secretary and often secretary-treasurer of the CDSA
• 1951 – was co-convenor for first attempt to organize minor soccer in the district
• 1952, 1954, 1955, & 1963 – was co-convenor, secretary, and coach for minor soccer
• 1952 – authored a weekly newspaper column entitled “Corner Kicks”
• 1953-1970 – refereed games played by Chatham area elementary and secondary schools
• 1959-1971 – was convenor, referee, and assignor of officials for the adult Chatham and District Soccer League
• 1961 – wrote a series of articles for the newspaper promoting soccer and explaining its rules

Badminton

• 1949-1993 – was an active player in the Chatham Badminton Club and its  subsequent amalgamation with the Essex Kent Scottish Regiment Badminton Club
• 1950, 1953, & 1962 – was president of these badminton clubs and also was games captain for 5 different years
• April 1952 – co-organized and ran the first Invitational Badminton Tournament in Chatham
• 1953-1954 – authored a weekly newspaper column entitled “Batting the Birdie”
• 1952-1954 – organized, promoted, and became president of the Kent County Badminton League which included clubs from Chatham (3), Blenheim, Ridgetown, and later Leamington
• 1955 – while living in London, coached an evening adult Badminton Club at Sir Adam Beck School
• later, at request of Recreation Department, organized a League for adults playing at several different schools during evenings
• 1958-1969 – assisted convenors and supplied scorekeepers and line judges for Kent County secondary school badminton tournaments
• 1966 – helped develop first double knockout system for games played in a Kent hosted SWOSSA Badminton Tournament Badminton Club
• 1977 – coached badminton team at The Pines
• 1986-2006 – was an active player and for two years was convenor and coach of the Senior’s Afternoon Badminton Club at Kinsmen Auditorium
• 1988-2006 – was active player in Tuesday Night Mixed Doubles Adult Badminton Club
• 1992 – coached badminton team at St. Anne’s Separate School in Blenheim
• 1996-2006 – was convenor, coach, and active player in an adult Badminton Club at St. Paul’s Congregational Church in Chatham

Awards & Recognitions

• November 1961 – was chosen Sportsman of the Week by Chatham Daily News
• 1968 – was presented a Life Membership in the E-K Scottish Regiment
• 1969 – was recognized by the Chatham Daily News as one of Chatham’s Ten Most Prominent Citizens
• 1970 – received the YMCA’s Proctor Dick Service to Youth Award
• 1971 – was nominated by Chatham Jaycees for the Kent County Outstanding Young Person Award
• December 1971 – was presented Life Membership in the Chatham District Soccer Association
• 1990 – from Junior Achievement of Canada, received the H. E. Miskiman Leadership Award which is only presented to one person across Canada each year