Sports posted Jun 14, 2016 @ 12:12pm by By KelownaNow Staff

Ten welcomed to Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame

Ten new members will be inducted into the Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame in November.

Among them will be a pair of world champions, an Olympic gold medalist and two individuals who have helped shaped sports in the Kelowna-area.

<who>Contributed </who>The Kelly Scott of Kelowna rink won a world women's curling championship in 2007 and took bronze in 2006. Skip Kelly Scott and her rink of Jeanna (Richard) Schraeder (third), Sasha Carter (second), Renee (Lemke) Simon (lead), Michelle Allan (spare) and coach Gerry Richard won a world women’s curling championship in 2007 and finished third in the world the previous year. The Kelowna foursome, inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, claimed two Canadian titles (2006 and 2007) and a pair of B.C. women’s championships (2005 and 2006).

A member of the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame and the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame, rower Blair Horn will also be inducted into the Central Okanagan version on Nov. 17 at the annual gala induction breakfast at the Coast Capri Hotel. Horn, now a lawyer in Vancouver, won a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics (Los Angeles) in the men’s eights and added a bronze medal at the 1983 Pan Am Games (Caracus, Venezuela).

<who>Contributed </who>Kelowna's Blair Horn was a member of the 1984 gold-medal eights at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Winner of seven gold medals at the FINA World Masters swimming competition (age 80-84), Conny Stamhuis will join the select group of COSHOF inductees. Stamhuis, a founding member of the Okanagan Masters Swim Club in Kelowna, has also won four silver medals at World Masters championships.

Being inducted in the builders category will be Bob Giordano, general manager of the 1957 and 1958 Kelowna Packers, the first Canadian hockey team to play in Russia. He also helped establish the Kelowna Buckaroos (1961-62), the first junior hockey team in the city.

<who>Contributed </who>Bob Giordano played a major role in the establishment of the <br>Kelowna Packers and Kelowna Buckaroos. Joining Giordano as a hall of fame builder will be Ron Rubadeau, the driving force in establishing the Central Okanagan Sail Boat Association in 1982 and chairman of Kelowna’s successful bid for the 2008 B.C. Summer Games. He was named the B.C. Sailing’s volunteer of the year award in 2005.

The Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame admitted its first inductee in 2008 (Kelowna Packers) and has since inducted 14 athletes, 11 builders and six teams. There have been three Bennett Award (special recognition) presented.

Inductees:

2008 — 1958 Kelowna Packers (team).

2009 — Joanne Ritchie (athlete -triathlon), Rick Folk curling team, Jack Brow (builder) and Athans family (Bennett award).

2010 — Jay Christensen (athlete - football), Don Arnold (athlete - rowing), Teddy Bears (team - basketball), Mervyn Andrews (builder) and Henry Tostenson (builder).

<who>Contributed </who>Ron Rubadeau will be inducted as a builder (sailing). 2011 — Lawrence Nagy (builder), Eric Tasker (builder), Joan Campbell (pioneer athlete - golf), Dan Bertoia (athlete - track and field) and Aundrea Bertoia (athlete - track and field).

2012 — Alex Recsky (builder), Barry Urness (Bennett Award), 1988 Okanagan Sun (football), Glenn Ennis (athlete - rugby), Erminia Russo (athlete - volleyball).

2013 — Blair Chapman (athlete - hockey), Wayne North (builder), Brock Aynsley (athlete - football) and Julie Sutton curling team.

2014 — Gillian Thomson (builder), Glen Mervyn (athlete - rowing), Mike and Brenda Van Tighem (builders - track and field) and 2004 Kelowna Rockets (hockey).

2015 — Christie Van Hees (athlete - racquetball), Sarah Charles (athlete - gymnastics), Rod Belinski (builder), Wayne Hicks (athlete - pioneer hockey) and John and Jennifer Hindle (Bennett Award).

<who>Contributed </who>Conny Stamuis won seven gold medals at the FINA World Masters swimming competition.

Central Okanagan Hall of Fame information

Induction videos through the years

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