2018 Inductee Short Bios

June 26, 2019

ATHLETE CATEGORY

Josh Dueck – Para-Alpine Skiing

  • Represented Canada at two Paralympic Winter Games (2010 Vancouver, 2014 Sochi).
  • Won gold in Men’s Super Combined, Sitting and silver in Men’s Downhill, Sitting at 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.
  • Won silver in Men’s Slalom, Sitting at 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver.
  • Won the World Downhill Sit-Ski Championship, 2009, in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
  • Accumulated a total of ten career International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Cup podium finishes, including five victories.
  • Won gold in Mono Skier X at 2011 X Games in Aspen, Colorado.
  • Became the first person in history to perform a back flip on a sit-ski, 2012. The online video for this went viral and landed him as a guest on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
  • Member of Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team, 2008-14.
  • Named Canada’s flag bearer at Closing Ceremonies of 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.
  • Winner of multiple Canadian championships titles during his career.
  • Canadian Paralympic Committee athlete ambassador, 2015 Parapan American Games in Toronto.

Glen Jackson – Football

  • Considered one of the best Canadian linebackers in Canadian Football League (CFL) history.
  • Twelve-season CFL career, 1976-87, playing 192 regular season games at linebacker with BC Lions.
  • Compiled 23 interceptions, recovered 23 fumbles, and totalled 36 quarterback sacks in that time (Note: QB sacks were not recorded prior to 1981 and tackles were not recorded until 1987).
  • Helped BC Lions to two Grey Cup Finals, 1983 and 1985, playing a key role in the Lions’ 1985 Grey Cup championship.
  • Six-time CFL Western All-Star, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1985, 1987.
  • Played university football at Simon Fraser University, where he was named an NAIA Northwest Division All-Star on three occasions and the team’s Most Outstanding Lineman.
  • Led Notre Dame High School to three BC High School Football Championships, in the late-1960s/ early-1970s.
  • Three-time BC Lions Top Canadian Player, 1981, 1982, 1986.
  • Three-time BC Lions Top Defensive Player, 1979, 1981, 1982.
  • Inducted as an Honoured Team member as part of 1985 BC Lions, BC Sports Hall of Fame, 2000.
  • Inductee, BC Football Hall of Fame, 2014.
  • Inductee, BC Lions Wall of Fame, 2003.
  • Selected to BC Lions 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, 2003.
  • Inductee, Coquitlam Sports Hall of Fame, 2016.

Ryan Dempster – Baseball

  • Helped Boston Red Sox to World Series championship in 2013.
  • Considered by many the second-best major league pitcher Canada has ever produced, behind only Baseball Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins.
  • Sixteen-season Major League Baseball career
    • 1998-2013, pitching in 579 regular season games with Florida Marlins, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, and Texas Rangers.
    • Compiled 132-133 win-loss record with a career 4.35 earned run average, 2075 strikeouts, and 87 saves in that time.
  • Career best season in 2008 with Chicago, compiling 17-6 win-loss record, 2.96 ERA, and 187 strikeouts in 33 starts.
  • Named a National League All-Star in 2000 and 2008.
  • Recipient, Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award as Canada’s top baseball player of the year, 2000.

Marielle Thompson – Skiing / Ski-Cross

  • Won Olympic gold medal in Women’s Ski Cross, 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.
  • Two-time World Cup Crystal Globe winner as Overall World Cup Champion in Ski Cross, 2012, 2014.
  • To date, she has accumulated 13 World Cup tour victories and 23 World Cup podium finishes.
  • Finished second overall in 2015-16 World Cup standings, claiming four World Cup tour victories.
  • Silver medalist, Ski Cross, Winter X Games, Aspen, Colorado, USA, 2016.
  • Silver medalist, Ski Cross, World Championships, Voss, Norway, 2013.
  • Gold medalist, Ski Cross, Junior World Championships, Italy, 2013.
  • Four-time Canadian Ski Cross Champion, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015.

Cliff Ronning – Ice Hockey

  • Eighteen-year NHL career (1986 – 2004) with St Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, Phoenix Coyotes, Nashville Predators, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, and New York Islanders.
    • Appeared in 1137 regular season games, scoring 306 goals, adding 563 assists for 869 points.
    • In 126 playoffs games, scored 29 goals, adding 57 assists for 86 points.
  • Played large role in Canucks 1993-94 Stanley Cup run, reaching Game 7 of the Cup Finals. Scored 15 points in 24 games that spring.
  • Played for Canada at 1991 World Ice Hockey Championships, recording 5 points in 10 games. Canada won silver behind Sweden.
  • Played one season with HC Asiago in Italy, compiling 135 points in 42 games, 1989-90.
  • Played with Canadian National team, 1985-87. In 97 games, scored 72 goals and 79 assists, for 151 points. Remains the highest scoring player in Canadian National Team history to this day.
  • Led his Burnaby Winter Club Travellers midget hockey team to victory in Air Canada Cup Canadian National Midget Hockey Championship, 1982, defeating St. Foy, Quebec (who had Patrick Roy in net) 3-1 in the final game after compiling a perfect 8-0 record in round robin play. The team remains the only midget team from BC to win the national title before or since. Ronning named the tournament’s most valuable player, after leading all players in scoring.
  • Played six NHL seasons with Vancouver Canucks as a fan-favourite forward.
    • Career-best season came in 1992-93 with Vancouver scoring 29 goals, 56 assists for 85 points.
  • Set a Western Hockey League scoring record in 1984-85 playing with the New Westminster Bruins, recording 89 goals, 108 assists, and 197 points in just 70 games (Record was later broken by Rob Brown).
  • Western Hockey League MVP, 1985.
  • Director, BC Benevolent Hockey Association, 2014 – present
  • Co-founder and vice-president of BASE Hockey Labs, producing custom fitted hockey sticks from a Burnaby location, 2009-present.

BUILDER/COACH CATEGORY

Alex McKechnie – Sports Medicine

  • Regarded as one of the world’s authorities on core training and movement integration.
  • Consultant physical therapist to various teams and organizations including: NHL Players Association 2000-07, West Ham United Football Club (English Premier League) 2000-02, Atlanta Hawks (NBA) 2002-03, Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) 1998-2003.
  • Invented and developed the ‘Torsion Board’ to assist in core injury rehabilitation, between 1998-2001.
  • Issued the USA patent for the Torsion Board and licensed Reebok to produce the Reebok Core Board, 2001.
  • Regarded as one of the foremost physiotherapists in North America and has worked one-on-one with professional athletes such as: Shaquille O’Neal, Steve Nash, Paul Kariya, Craig Forrest, Lui Passaglia, Dale Walters, Eric Karros, Theo Ratliff, Grant Hill, Terrell Owens, Matt Leinart.
  • Director of Sport Science, Toronto Raptors, 2011-present.
  • Athletic Performance Coordinator, Los Angeles Lakers, 2003-11.
  • Canadian Olympic Soccer Team Physiotherapist, 1976, 1992-present.
  • Canadian World Cup Soccer Team Physiotherapist, 1992-2001, including Canada’s 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup Championship team.
  • Operates a private practice specializing in orthopaedics and sports medicine, Vancouver, 1977 – present. Expanded this practice over time to include other partners and two clinics.
  • Mentored Rick and Randy Celebrini, and is considered at the forefront of sports medicine in BC today.
  • Worked as a consultant with the Vancouver Canucks, treating players for injuries and overseeing rehabilitation programs, 1980-2007.
  • Head physiotherapist for SFU varsity athletic program, 1974-77.
  • Vancouver Whitecaps physiotherapist, 1974-82. Played a key role keeping players healthy during 1979 Soccer Bowl championship.
  • Vancouver 86ers/Whitecaps physiotherapist, 1988-2011
  • BC Summer Games sports therapist, 1983.
  • Taught physiotherapy at several BC colleges and universities.

Rob Shick – Ice Hockey

  • Supervisor of Ice Hockey Referees at two Winter Olympics, Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014.
  • Refereed first NHL regular season game played outside North America (Vancouver versus Anaheim in Tokyo, Japan, October 1997).
  • National Hockey League (NHL) referee, 1984-2009, refereeing 1321 regular season games (the most of any BC-born official). Also refereed 130 playoff games, including the 2001 Stanley Cup Final.
  • Refereed two NHL All-Star Games, 1994, 1997.
  • Currently serving as NHL Referee Supervisor.
  • Inductee, BC Hockey Hall of Fame, 2011.

Tom Johnson – Swimming

  • Named to Canada’s Swim Team coaching staff at ten Olympic Games: 1980- 2016.
  • Named to Canada’s Swim Team coaching staff at ten Commonwealth Games: 1978-2014.
  • Named to Canada’s Swim Team coaching staff at 13 world championships: 1978- 2015.
  • Produced 13 Canadian Olympic athletes through the UBC swimming program.
  • Coached Brent Hayden to 100m freestyle bronze medal at 2012 Olympics, the first-ever medal for Canada in the premier swimming event of the Games.
  • Coach of many of Canada’s top swimmers over the past 30 years including Brent Hayden, Brian Johns, Mark Versfeld, Jessica Deglau, and Kelly Stefanyshyn.
  • Head coach, UBC Athletics Varsity Swimming, 1990-2005.
    • Coach of 8 men’s Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championship teams in that time: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
    • Coach of 11 women’s CIS championship teams in that time: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 o Coach of a combined 16 Canada West championships.
  • Technical Director, Swimming Canada National Training Centre (Vancouver/UBC), 2008-present.
  • Head coach, Swim Canada National Training Centre (Vancouver/UBC), 1998- 2008.
  • Vice-president of Daily Operations, Canadian Coaching Association, 2010- present.
  • President, Canadian Swimming Coaches Association, 2006-10.
  • Board member, Olympic Coaches of Canada, 2006-09.
  • Named CIS Coach of the Year 11 times.
  • Head Coach, Tom Johnson Swimming Camps, 2005-present.
  • Head Coach, Pacific Dolphins Swim Association, 1990-98.
  • Head Coach, Canadian Dolphin Swim Club, 1979-90.
  • Head Coach, Club de Natation Camo (Olympic facility), 1977-79.
  • Coach, Pointe-Claire Aquatic Centre, 1973-77.
  • Inductee, UBC Sports Hall of Fame, 2015.

MEDIA CATEGORY

Tony Gallagher

  • Over 45 years writing for The Province newspaper, mostly covering the NHL and the Vancouver Canucks. Covered the Canucks beat from 1976-87. Full-time columnist from 1987-2015. One of the strongest voices in Vancouver’s sports media for decades.
  • Covered three Winter Olympics (Hockey, Speed Skating, Figure Skating, and Skiing).
  • Covered several Canada Cups.
  • Covered 22 Stanley Cup Finals.
  • Regular Hockey Night in Canada guest during ‘After Forty Minutes’ intermission features.
  • Wrote Towels, Triumph & Tears: The Vancouver Canucks’ Amazing Drive to the Stanley Cup Finals (1982) and co-authored Canucks Legends (2006).
  • Long-time vice-president of Professional Hockey Writers Association.
  • Founding board member, Canada One Foundation.
  • Started working for The Province in 1970, covering the WHL’s New Westminster Bruins, NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, WHA’s Vancouver Blazers. Later also became known for covering tennis (ATP Tour, Davis Cup), basketball (NBA, Vancouver Grizzlies, Canadian National team), and motorsport (Westwood Track, Molson Indy).
  • Appeared on radio regularly over the years, including hosting ‘Gallagher on Sport’ on CKWX radio, and hosting Canucks pre-game shows on TEAM/TSN 1040 since 2001.
  • Inductee, Vancouver College Alumni Hall of Honour, 2013.

TEAM CATEGORY

1991 Canadian Men’s National Rugby Team

  • Produced Canada’s best-ever result at a Rugby World Cup, reaching the 1991 quarterfinals.
    • In-group play, Canada beat Fiji 13-3 and Romania 19-11, before falling to France 19-13, to finish second in their group.
    • Advancing to the quarterfinals, they played perennial powerhouse, the defending World Cup Champions New Zealand All-Blacks, and lost a hard- fought match 29-13.
    • Afterward, 30,000 French spectators paid the gutsy Canadian players a standing ovation for their effort. New Zealand players and rugby experts also paid tribute, citing this game as one that lifted Canada into rugby’s elite.
  • Following the 1991 Rugby World Cup, Canada was ranked 8th in the world, the nations highest-ever international ranking in the sport and one of the highest world rankings ever for a Canadian team in a team sport other than ice hockey.
  • Canada entered the 1991 Rugby World Cup as the only undefeated nation during that year.
  • Three Canadian players, all from BC, were named to the tournament’s World XV team: Dan Jackart, Norm Hadley, Gord MacKinnon.
  • Of the 26 players on the 1991 Canadian team World Cup roster, 23 were born in BC and/or played club rugby in BC and still call BC home today.
  • Head coach Ian Birtwell was also from BC, as well as several other team staff members.
  • Notable players included: Gareth Rees, Mark Wyatt (team captain), John Graf, Glen Ennis (vice-captain).

PIONEER CATEGORY

1900-18 Rossland Ladies Ice Hockey Team

  • Won ‘Ladies Championship of the World’, defeating Grand Forks 3-1 at Rossland Carnival, 1911 (Note: this championship involved only teams from the BC Interior).
  • Considered among the best women’s ice hockey teams in the country prior to WWII. At least one hockey historian has argued Rossland “deserves to be compared to the powerful teams from Calgary in the 1920s and even to Ontario’s Preston Rivulettes of the 1930s.”
  • First female hockey champions of BC. Defeated Nelson 4-0 at Rossland Carnival, 1900.
  • Won BC Women’s Hockey Championship four more times within a decade, taking the title in 1906, 1913, 1915, and 1916.
  • Undefeated in organized play for seventeen years, 1900-17.
  • Considered BC’s first highly competitive women’s hockey team.
  • Recipient, BC Hockey Hall of Fame Pioneer Award, 2014.

W.A.C. BENNETT AWARD

Alex Nelson

  • Founding member and three-time president, North American Indigenous Games Council.
  • Led bid process to successfully bring 1997 North American Indigenous Games to Victoria, BC.
  • Board member, Native Participation Committee, 1994 Commonwealth Games, Victoria, BC.
  • Founding member, Aboriginal Sport Circle (Canada’s national body for Aboriginal sport and physical activity).
  • Member of Team BC mission staff, 1995 Canada Winter Games.
  • Founder and Executive Director, Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Association of BC (the first provincial/territorial Aboriginal sport body in Canada), 1989 – 2009.
  • Senior advisor and elder, Aboriginal Sport, Recreation and Physical Activity Partners Council, 2009-present.
  • Member, Provincial Leadership Team, which created Aboriginal Sport, Recreation and Physical Activity Strategy for BC (first of its kind in Canada).
  • Team BC chef de mission, 1993 and 1995 North American Indigenous Games.
  • Team BC elder, 2014 North American Indigenous Games.
  • Recipient, Queen’s 125th Commemorative Medal for Community Services.
  • Recipient, Victoria Sports Leader of the Year Award, 1998.
  • Recipient, Promotion Plus Recognition of Contribution, 1992, for advocating women’s rights and coaching Women’s soccer for 20 years.
  • Coached Youth, Women’s, and Men’s soccer teams for 42 years.

About the BC Sports Hall of Fame

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Located at Gate “A” of BC Place with inspiring exhibits, the BC Sports Hall of Fame is the ‘go to’ organization for BC sport heritage. For 50 years, we have honoured BC’s teams, builders, athletes, pioneers, and media through the annual induction ceremony the Banquet of Champions. The collection of the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum includes over 25,000 artifacts and 20,000 archival documents representing 100 years of sporting accomplishments in British Columbia. In everything it does, the BC Sports Hall of Fame honours, educates, and inspires through the Hero In You Youth Education Programs. For more information please visit: www.bcsportshalloffame.com follow us on twitter @bcsportshall and like us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/bcsportshall/

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Eddie Tabakman
LBMG
etabakman@lbmg.ca
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