As a table tennis prodigy, Julie Barton had a career full of firsts for both Nova Scotia and Canada. These firsts started in 1985 when she won the Junior National Championships in the under 13 category. In 1987 she became the first Nova Scotian and the youngest player ever to make the national team, representing Canada at the World Championships at the age of 14.

In 1988, at 15 years old, Barton became the Canadian Women’s Singles Champion, making her the youngest competitor in history to hold both the Junior and Senior Canadian Singles Titles.

Over her 10-year career she represented Canada at the Worlds three times, won seven national championships (in senior, junior, singles, and doubles competition) and won two bronze medals at the 1991 Pan Am games.

Induction article by Hugh Townsend

In was once asked who I considered the best young sports prospects I saw during my years as a reporter. I quickly named three.

In the 1950s, when my career was just starting with New Glasgow’s Evening News, I watched a 12-year-old grammar school hockey player score 14 goals in a 14-1 game. Lowell McDonald went from there to a 13-year career in the National Hockey League and a pew in the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame.

Four decades later, when my own youngsters were playing hockey in Cole Harbour, I often lingered at Cole Harbour Place to watch a 10-year-old display his amazing skills, about the time he had a 159-goal season in atom ranks. Sidney Crosby needs no further introduction and, now widely considered the best player in the world, his future nomination to the province’s hall of fame is already assured.

In between, in the 1980s, when I was writing and editing a minor sports page for The Chronicle Herald, I got to know a young lady who was already an outstanding performer in table tennis. Julie Barton, with all kinds of impressive successes in her profile, truly earned her place in the Hall of Fame as a 2012 inductee.

Julie achieved so much, so young.

In 1983, at just 11, she became Nova Scotia junior champion. At 12, she won open championships in all four Atlantic provinces. At 14, she became the first Nova Scotian ever to make the national table tennis team. At 15, she was the youngest ever to win a national singles title. In a period of less than three years, she won national championships at all age levels. For her, victories became commonplace nationally and internationally.

Had an injury not shortened her career, there’s no telling how much more she would have accomplished. Even so, she was the best table tennis ambassador Nova Scotia ever had.

When a submission was made to the Nova Scotia Hall of Fame selection committee, comments of support flowed from the sport’s most influential officials.

Said Erica Ans, president of the Nova Scotia Table Tennis Association: “(Julie) has not only won table tennis championships, but also represented her home province amazingly.”

Noted Mariann Domonkos, women’s national coach:

“(She was) a ground-breaker for the sport of table tennis in Nova Scotia.”

Added Delano Lai Fatt, former NSTTA president:

“She achieved the respect of the players, both locally and nationally. This was a feat which was much more difficult to achieve, especially because she was always the youngest.” And John Macpherson, Nova Scotia’s Canada Games head coach: “Julie’s journey was one of incredible commitment and intense passion for her sport.”

It wasn’t difficult for the selection committee to vote Julie into the Hall.

When Julie was just 12, I spent a couple hours with her and her family at their home in Cole Harbour and, among other things, asked her why she felt she was getting so good, so young.

“Because,” she replied, “I liked it, I guess. I took an interest early and just practised and practised.”

What were her ambitions?

“Right now, I’d like to go to the Canada Games and win a medal. I’m not looking beyond that yet.”

It was a mature attitude and, again, at such a tender age. That, too, obviously helped her along the road to her induction into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame.