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The 1971 Richmond Roadrunners men’s lacrosse team are part of the BC Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023.

Photo courtesy BC Sports Hall of Fame

Richmond judo pioneer Jim Kojima (left) is part of the BC Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023.

Photo courtesy BC Sports Hall of Fame

Locals inducted into BC Sports Hall of Fame

By Richmond Sentinel

Published 12:58 PDT, Wed October 26, 2022

Last Updated: 1:07 PDT, Wed October 26, 2022

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The BC Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023 includes a Richmond judo pioneer and a local men’s lacrosse team.

Induction into the BC Sports Hall of Fame is the highest sporting honour in British Columbia. Since 1966, the BC Sports Hall of Fame has inducted 442 individuals and 67 teams to its Hall of Champions. The formal Induction Gala for the Class of 2023 is scheduled to be held in June 2023.

One of this year’s inductees is Richmond judo athlete Jim Kojima, who has been involved with the Steveston Judo Club for 70 years. He was an international referee involved with Olympic Games and World Judo Championships as well as being president of Judo Canada and director of the International Judo Federation Referee Commission. Kojima was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1983 and was inducted into the Richmond Sports Wall of Fame earlier this year.

The 1971 Richmond Roadrunners men’s lacrosse team is also part of the BC Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023. The team defied expectations and won the Minto Cup that year, the first Western Canadian team to win the National Junior A Lacrosse championship in nine years.

Its team members were Stan Ackerman (public relations), Ed Ashcroft, Barry Atkinson, Chuck Bourne, Gary Bregani, Jim Bregani, Jack Buchanan, Bill Clearie, Randy Crowe (president), Roy Crowe, Larry Dean, Dave Durante, Mal Follis (secretary-treasurer), Ted Gernaey, Bob Holmes, Doug May, Grant McCauley, Harvey Olsen, Gord Osinchuk, Tom Penway, Larry Phillips (team manager), Ron Phillips (coach and general manager), Jerry Pinder, Ron Pinder, Mike Safianuk, Pat Safianuk, Butch Skirzyk (assistant coach), Mike Smith, Fred Sutton (equipment manager), Bob Tasker, Brian Tasker, Dave Tasker, Bob Taylor (trainer), Dave Taylor, Gil Tetrault, Lyle Trowski, Walt Weaver, and Sandy Wheelhouse.

“After months of anticipation, we’re energized to begin telling the stories and marking the outstanding achievements of our Class of 2023,” said Tom Mayenknecht, chair of the BC Sports Hall of Fame. “Honouring the past—and inspiring the future—is at the very heart of the mission of the BC Sports Hall of Fame and this year’s honourees truly exemplify the best of sport in this province and beyond. On behalf of our board of trustees selection committee chaired by Wendy Pattenden, and management team led by chief executive Nicholas Cartmell, we congratulate our deserving inductees and look forward to coming together again in person to fully honour the Class of 2023 at our BC Sports Hall of Fame Induction Gala next year.”

For more information, visit bcsportshall.com/announcement-day-bc-sports-hall-of-fame-introduces-class-of-2023-selections/