Zhao Kai Pang
Sport – Figure Skating
School – Moscrop

Samantha Drescher
Sport – Soccer
School – St. Thomas More

George Oswald has been described by many as the greatest coach in the history of BC high school sports. His record certainly proves it.

Over a 46-year coaching career as an assistant and head coach at Notre Dame Secondary, Oswald led his Jugglers teams to 14 Provincial championships, six as an assistant and eight as the head man.

Over a 13-year span from 1977-89, as head coach he led the Jugglers to nine championship finals where he lost just twice. During his coaching career, Oswald’s program produced former BC Lions stalwarts Lui Passaglia (a Burnaby Sports Hall of Fame honoured member 2023) and Glenn Jackson and a host of others who went on to football prominence.

The long-time Burnaby resident served on the BC High School Football Association Board for more than 25 years, three years as President, and has been named an Honorary Life Member of BC High School Football. He was inducted into the BC Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

They went on to win the Western Canada title in Saskatchewan and advanced to the national championship in Niagara Falls where they beat the host team on penalty shots after the two clubs tied 2-2 in regulation time on a very wet pitch.

Players, (l -r) Back: Rich Clarke, Lori Gazzola, Jill Dyck, Gail Joljart, Liana Poato, Debbie Bonato, Gwen Dixon, April Fahlen, Karen Bogress.
Front: Karen King, Liz Martinello, Gaynor Preston, Lisa, Beaton, Deanna Bankier, Sheryl Kois, Lea-Ann Small, Connie Bourne.

The dictionary describes dynasty as a length of time in which one is in power. Spell it the SFU swimming and diving program. 

Margaret and the late Paul Savage were the first swimming and diving coaches at Simon Fraser University. The couple created a remarkable dynasty, coaching members of their team to international prominence over more than two decades. They guided SFU teams to 10 men’s and three women’s NAIA championships and along the way he was named NAIA Coach of the Year five times.

She was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985. Together they coached or managed 27 Canadian National teams at the Olympics, World championships, Commonwealth and World University Games. More than 30 of their swimmers competed internationally and two of their swimmers, Gary MacDonald and Bruce Robertson, were Olympic medallists.

They were inducted into the SFU Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 and the NAIA Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame, Paul in 1982 and Margaret in 1985, the first woman to be inducted into that Hall of Fame.

The diving and swimming pool at SFU is named in their honor. Paul passed away in 2002.

The dictionary describes dynasty as a length of time in which one is in power. Spell it the SFU swimming and diving program. 

Margaret and the late Paul Savage were the first swimming and diving coaches at Simon Fraser University. The couple created a remarkable dynasty, coaching members of their team to international prominence over more than two decades. They guided SFU teams to 10 men’s and three women’s NAIA championships and along the way he was named NAIA Coach of the Year five times.

She was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985. Together they coached or managed 27 Canadian National teams at the Olympics, World championships, Commonwealth and World University Games. More than 30 of their swimmers competed internationally and two of their swimmers, Gary MacDonald and Bruce Robertson, were Olympic medallists.

They were inducted into the SFU Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 and the NAIA Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame, Paul in 1982 and Margaret in 1985, the first woman to be inducted into that Hall of Fame.

The diving and swimming pool at SFU is named in their honor. Paul passed away in 2002.

Dave Nonis played his minor hockey with the Burnaby Minor Hockey Association, moving up the ranks and playing on the association’s top rep teams as a strong defenceman. In 1982-83 he jumped to the Junior A Burnaby Bluehawks before attending the University of Maine where he served two seasons as captain of the hockey team, leading them to back-to-back NCAA championship tournaments.

After playing one year professionally in Denmark he returned to Maine and earned his MBA before joining the Vancouver Canucks in a corporate and administrative capacity. He eventually directed all areas of the Canucks hockey operations before being named the ninth, and youngest ever, at the age of 37, general manager of the Canucks in 2004. Nonis pulled off one of the biggest trades in franchise history by acquiring Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Roberto Luongo from the Florida Panthers in June 2006.

After his departure from the Canucks he joined the Anaheim Ducks as senior advisor of hockey operations and in January 2013 was named senior vice-president and general manager of Toronto Maple Leafs, a position he held for two years. 

Nonis then was hired by the Anaheim Ducks as a special assignment scout and consultant to the team’s general manager, Bob Murray. He was promoted to assistant GM in 2019 before being let go in February 2022. He was subsequently hired in March 23 by the Calgary Flames as senior vice president of hockey operations and assistant general manager.

John Berry is a long-time baseball and soccer administrator who was active in promoting accessibility of sports fields for Burnaby youth and who has worked on various field committees and played a large administrative role in his two chosen sports.

They include volunteer roles with Wesburn Youth Soccer Club and Burnaby District Youth Soccer Association and in baseball with Baseball Canada, Baseball BC, Burnaby Adult Baseball, BC Junior Baseball, Burnaby Bees Baseball and Burnaby Central Minor Baseball Association. He was also the area representative on the BC Baseball Umpires Association. Berry has served as president of Baseball BC and chair of the Burnaby District Youth Soccer Association.

Berry played a key role in a group that developed a presentation to Burnaby City Council in the lead up to the development of the Burnaby Lake Sports Complex West fields.

John Adams has been a leading figure in the development of Burnaby rugby, especially at the youth level. His creation of the Burnaby Buffalo junior program during the 1980s and 1990s became the leading feeder program to the senior men’s rugby club.

He provided essential help as well to local high school rugby programs by liaising with Burnaby school teachers and coaching at numerous schools for more than 25 years. He also started the BCIT rugby program as another feeder program for the senior club.

A graduate of Burnaby Central Secondary, he was an outstanding wrestler at that school, twice winning his class at the provincial championships. Put it all together and his outstanding resume reads athlete, teacher, coach, mentor, fundraiser and friend to many.

Soccer was Bob Mills’ game and he played it very well. He began his playing days in the PTA sponsored Capitol Hill team and later moved on to make an outstanding contribution to Cliff Avenue United soccer club.

Upon graduation from Burnaby North Secondary, he began a successful career in the Mainland and Pacific Coast Leagues playing for a variety of teams. His 1965 Vancouver Firefighters Club won the National Challenge Cup championship, defeating Ottawa 5-0.

He was selected to the BC All-Star teams on three occasions for games against visiting English clubs.