Richmond Sentinel looks back at the 2018 inductees of the Richmond Sports Wall of Fame.

Since the end of 2023, the Richmond Sentinel has highlighted past inductees and their journey into the Richmond Sports Wall of Fame. In this edition, we take a look at the sports contributions of the Richmond Sports Wall of Fame, Class of 2018.

AJ Sander – Hockey

AJ Sander started playing Hockey in 1980. He attended Burnett and Richmond High Secondary School. In 1983, he joined the Richmond Minor coaching staff as an assistant before becoming a head coach five years later. While coaching in the Richmond Minor Hockey Association, AJ was recognized as Coach of the Year during the 1995-1996 season. He was also named Coach of the Year that same year as a coach in the Pacific Amateur Hockey Association, Sander would win the award in the 1998-1999 season as well. While coaching Richmond Rep teams, AJ would be awarded the Richmond Minor Hockey Association’s Coaching Excellence Award six times between 1995 to 2007, having coached 1042 games with a win-loss record of 556 wins and 370 losses. He would move on to coach the Richmond Girls Ice Hockey team, an organization he is still coaching for to this day.

Archie Blair – Athletics

Archie Blair was born and raised in Richmond; his parents were amongst the founding families of Richmond. Archie graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1923. He served the city in many different roles as a dairy farmer, city councillor, sports advocate, and public servant. In the battle of Vimy Ridge, Archie was wounded but returned home without any lasting injuries. He would return home to participate in sports and would be recognized for many years of service to the city with an Honour of Freedom of the Municipality award. In the sports world, Blair played on the Richmond Youth and Men’s Lacrosse team for 15 years between 1915 and 1930, winning several city and league championships, as well as tournament gold medals. He was a key in keeping the sport of lacrosse alive and helping it grow to the sport it is today. In 1997, the Archibald Blair Elementary School was named after him to commemorate his outstanding community work.

Chim-Hing Stephanie Chan – Table Tennis

In 1997, Chim-Hing Stephanie Chan immigrated to Richmond. As a child she encountered many tribulations having contracted polio but till this day continues to represent Canada in para table tennis. Chan first started training for para table tennis at the age of 44, she would quickly become a champion at multiple events. She has collected over 60 medals between 2006 and 2016. She won a bronze medal in the Open Singles standing and a silver medal in the Singles Class 6-8 at the 2007 Parapan American Games in Rio, a silver medal in Singles Class 7-9 in 2011, and a gold medal in Singles Class 6-7 at the 2015 Parapan American games in Toronto. The final medal punched her ticket to the 2016 Rio Paralympics where she would come in fourth place in Singles Class 7. Now, Stephanie volunteers as a table tennis instructor at her church and at the Richmond Centre for Disability and strives to encourage seniors and people with disabilities.

Doug Staveley – Football

Doug Staveley taught around schools in Richmond for 40 years, spending time at four of the 10 secondary schools. He taught and coached at Steveston High, Cambie Secondary, Hugh Boyd, and Steveston-London. He was a five-sport athlete at Lord Byng Secondary School playing football, rugby, basketball, baseball, and cricket. He would continue his athletic career at UBC, playing football and rugby. At Steveston High School, Staveley would take on the role of Assistant Coach for the Senior Boys Football team, head coach (1973-1978) and assistance coach (1979-1984) of the senior boy’s basketball team. In 1996 he would go to Cambie Secondary as an assistant coach for the junior boys basketball team. From 2002 to 2008 he would also be the assistant coach of Hugh Boyd’s boys high school football team. While teaching, Staveley also officiated in the CFL between 1985 and 1988. As a coach, two teams have become BC Champions, the 1984 Steveston senior boys basketball team and the 1993 Steveston senior girls basketball team.

Dr. Jack Taunton – Sports Medicine 

Jack Taunton is in a class of his own when it comes to Canadian Sports Medicine. He attended Simon Fraser University to purse an education, double majoring in math and history, but he would transfer to UBC to purse medicine. He co-founded many runs around the Vancouver area and many sports medicine centres as well. Some races include the Vancouver Marathon in 1972 and the Vancouver Sun Run in 1985. In 1977, he co-founded the Terra Nova Sports Medicine Centre which would be moved to UBC in 1979 and renamed as the Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre. For 31 years, Jack and his family lived in Richmond, home of Kajaks Track and Field club, an organization he would work with as a runner and a coach. He was also Team Physician for the Vancouver Grizzlies. He’s been awarded countless accolades for his contributions to sports medicine in Canada, including a medal from the Government of Canada and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. 

Ian Anderson – Football

Ian Anderson grew up in Vancouver and was always an athlete. He played football at Lord Byng and would go on to play on UBC’s football team and rugby team. After graduation, he would accept a job to teach in the Richmond school district at Steveston Secondary school. Anderson would coach the Steveston football team, he started out as an assistant coach before taking on the head coach position in 1972. He would end with a coaching record of 122 wins, 70 losses, and four ties, leading them to two lower mainland championship wins in 1968 and 1985. During his tenure, his team would also capture the Jim Jordan trophy 16 times, defeating cross town rival Richmond Secondary. In 1998, Anderson took on the head coaching role for Steveston’s grade 8 football team for one year. While coaching, Ian took on roles with the BC High School Football Coaches Association and BC Football Officials Association as well. 

Kelly Sutherland – Hockey

Kelly Sutherland is currently a referee in the National Hockey League. He grew up in Richmond and attended Steveston High school. At a young age he fell in love with the sport of hockey and began officiating at the age of 11. In 1999, after being released from the minor league due to a change in the system last year, he returned to the Western Hockey League and was given the Allen Paradice Award, an award given to the league’s top official. He joined the NHL in 2000 and was given the opportunity to officiate in the NHL playoffs in 2003, a role for only the best officials. He would join the big leagues in 2000 and continue to work doing what he loves most. In 2003, he was given the opportunity to officiate in the NHL playoffs, a feat that only the best officials of the league get to do. He’s officiated a total of 24 seasons, ten Stanley Cup Finals, including the 2011 series between the Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks, the 2014 Sochi Olympics, and four outdoor games. His hometown has even named him Official of the Year four times.

Les Hamaguchi – Basketball

Les Hamaguchi fell in love with the sport of basketball at a young age. He grew up in Richmond and was a two-sport athlete playing basketball and hockey. He played on Hugh Boyd and Steveston Secondary’s basketball teams and would pursue a career in basketball coaching when he graduated high school. Unlike the traditional coach, who normally taught at the school, Hamaguchi volunteered his own time to coach his teams. Hamaguchi began coaching in 1975, coaching the Hugh Boyd grade 8-9 boys team before taking on an assistant coaching role for the Richmond High senior boys basketball team in 1977. His coaching career would take him to other schools including Burnett Junior Secondary, Palmer Junior Secondary, Richmond High Secondary, and Steveston London Secondary. Teams coached by Hamaguchi have had lots of success, winning multiple Richmond and Vancouver district championships, and provincial championships with the 1984 Palmer junior girls team and 1991 Richmond High senior girls team.

Moseley Peter Jack – Track and Field

In 1974, Moseley Peter Jack arrived in Richmond with his three children. He worked in the school district for 32 years as a teacher and counsellor. Moseley began coaching in 1977 as the coach for the West Richmond ANAF 284 Bobcats soccer team. For 11 years, he coached the soccer team, winning multiple league cups. During this time, Moseley also took on a coaching role at Kajaks Track & Field Club in 1980, he has been coaching for them ever since. In 1991, he was given the Lifetime Membership Award by the Richmond Youth Soccer Association for being a leader in youth soccer committee. He won three coaching awards while coaching at Steveston London, winning outstanding athletic achievement in coaching for cross-country, table tennis, and track & field. He was given the 2004 Richmond Secondary School Athletic Association for his outstanding service in developing young athletes for 10 years.

Ron Putzi – Basketball 

Growing up in Richmond, Ron Putzi was a natural athlete growing up, he played badminton, soccer, track and field, volleyball, and gymnastics. His true passion was in basketball, and he would get to truly grow his love for the game when he attended Burnett High and Richmond High. During his time with the Richmond Colts, Ron averaged an astounding 34 points and 10 rebounds a game. His team would finish back-to-back seasons with a provincial championship, with Ron leading the way. In the 1988 provincial championship finals game, he would set a provincial record for most points in a finals game with 60 points. That same year he had set a school and tournament record for 61 points at the Vancouver College Emerald tournament. Ron would spend four years at New Mexico State before playing professionally in Europe for ten years. He represented Canada internationally as well between 1990 and 1993, since then he has taken on the role of director at the Canada One Athletic Foundation.