Steven Mawhinney has been a gym rat ever since he first started playing basketball in the 1970s at Marlborough elementary in South Burnaby. Although his talent didn’t match his passion for the game, he began refereeing games across the street when he was at Royal Oak Junior High and then at Burnaby Central Senior High where he was encouraged by a teacher, Mr. Abercrombie, to join the local officials association.

Many decades later, he can still be found most nights or weekend sporting the zebra stripes with a whistle between his lips as he goes up and down the hardwood. Mawhinney has refereed four B.C. high school senior boys championship finals and two girls provincial finals. He has been recognized as the winner of the Wink Willox Award for service, commitment and excellence in officiating by both Basketball BC and the Canadian Association of Basketball Officials.

There are some who believe the Greater Vancouver Basketball Officials Association may not have survived the last 20 years without Mawhinney’s contributions.