Burnaby Sports Hall Of Fame 2022 Inductees!
The Burnaby Sports Hall of Fame has recently announced its inductees for 2022, and the list is impressive. From athletes to coaches and builders, the class of 2022 is made up of some of Burnaby’s most accomplished and dedicated sports figures. This year’s inductees have made significant contributions to their respective sports and have left a lasting impact on the Burnaby sports community. In this article, we will take a closer look at the individuals who have been selected for the Burnaby Sports Hall of Fame’s highest honor and celebrate their remarkable achievements.
ATHLETE — Erin Gee/Softball
Erin Gee is a former softball player from Burnaby who played at both the national and international level. She began her career with the Burnaby Oakeys and helped them win numerous titles, including two national crowns. She then played for Simon Fraser University where she won four NAIA regional titles and two NAIA national championships.
She also represented Canada at various competitions such as the World University Softball Championship, Canada Cups, the US World Cup of Softball, and the Pan-Am Games, where she won a silver medal. She was also an alternate on Canada’s 2008 Olympic team in Beijing. Gee is known for her impressive batting statistics, including a career .424 batting average at SFU, and is a record holder in several categories for the school’s softball team. Click Here For Erin’s Full Profile
ATHLETE — Mike McLenaghen/Soccer
Mike McLenaghen was a talented young athlete who excelled in sports at Wesburn and Confederation Park community centres. He eventually found his calling on the soccer pitch, playing for British Columbia’s first-ever BC under-18 team in 1972, which won the Western Canadian championship and came second in the national championship.
The following year, he became the captain of Canada’s national youth team. McLenaghen continued his soccer career at Simon Fraser University, playing in two NAIA national championships before being drafted by the Minnesota Kicks in the 1979 North American Soccer League. He went on to play for several other NASL teams and also competed in eight international games for Canada. Click Here For Mike’s Full Profile
BUILDER — Jim Swelander/Soccer-Baseball
Jim Swelander formed the Burnaby Dartmen Soccer Club right after finishing high school, and they won the league championship in their first year. They eventually moved up to the B.C. Senior Soccer League, starting in Division 7 and rising to Division 1 in 1987.
The Dartmen won the Imperial Cup crown in their first season in Division 1 and were promoted to the Premier League, becoming the only club in league history to go from Division 7 to the Premier League. Swelander expanded the Dartmen into a multi-sport club, including baseball and hockey, and coached and managed many of the baseball squads himself. The Dartmen won many championships and tournaments in various sports over the years. Click Here For Jim’s Full Profile
COACH — Sandeep Gill/Karate
Sandeep Gill is a renowned karate coach in Canada who opened the Burnaby Karate Academy in 1999. He has coached the provincial team for four years and won several awards, including Karate BC high-performance coach of the year in 2008 and 2009 and national coach of the year in 2010.
Gill’s students have competed in various international events, including world junior championships, karate world cups, the Pan American Games, Pan American karate championships, and a Commonwealth championship. The Burnaby Karate Academy has won numerous medals under Gill’s leadership, with 86 gold medals and over 150 silver and bronze medals as of 2021. In 2018, the academy claimed 11 individual titles, four more than the fourth-place province of Alberta. Click Here For Sandeep’s Full Profile
TEAM — SFU women’s basketball 2004-05
The SFU women’s basketball team of 2004-05 had an undefeated season, won the Canada West semifinal and final, and the Canadian Interuniversity Sport championship. They set a school record for most victories in a season and scored 67 points more than their opponents in the championship. The team was named Sport BC’s 2005 Team of the Year, and head coach Bruce Langford and guard Dani Langford received Canada West and CIS coach and player of the year honors, respectively. Click Here For SFU 2004-05 Basketball Team Profile
