Hall of Fame 2011 Inductees

ATHLETES

NEAL MARSHALL (Speed Skating—Long Track)
Neal Marshall was a National team member for 10 years, who represented Canada at the Winter Olympic Games in 1992 in Albertville, 1994 in Lillehammer and 1998 in Nagano. His best result was 7th in the 1,500m in Lillehammer. In 1995 Neal became the first Canadian to top a World individual speed skating title. He held the World record in 1,500m (1997) and 3,000m (1995). Upon retiring due to asthma, Neal went on to coach Canada’s Cindy Klassen to five Olympic medals in 2006, and earn the Canadian Sports Awards’ Coach of the Year honour in 2007.

LEAH PELLS (Track & Field)
Leah Pells is a six-time Canadian champion who competed at three Olympic Games—1992 in Barcelona, 1996 in Atlanta (where she finished 4th in the 1500 metre), and 2000 in Sydney. The mid-distance runner placed 6th in the 3,000 metre event at the 1990 Commonwealth Games, 5th in the 1,500 metre at the 1997 World Championships, and won silver in the 1,500 metre at the 1999 Pan Am Games. Prior to those international feats, she set the pace at Simon Fraser University, where she ended her collegiate career in 1988 by setting three records and earning the national championship meet’s Outstanding Female Athlete award.

GEOFF AUNGER (Soccer)
Geoff Aunger emerged from the then-new Metro-Ford Soccer Club to dress for the Canadian National team at the age of 16. His first official action for Canada came in 1992 against China. A striker-midfielder, Geoff would go on to play 44 games for Canada’s senior national team, scoring four times—with 13 of those games FIFA World Cup qualifiers. He would also play for Luton Town in England, scoring two minutes into his first game, along with a number of teams in Canada and the United States over a 14-year pro career. In 1999 as a member of D.C. United, Geoff became the first Canadian to win the MLS Cup, and ended his career with 104 MLS games to his credit.

BUILDERS

PERCY PERRY (Track & Field)
Percy Perry played for the Trinidad national soccer team before immigrating to Canada. He took over as head coach of the Coquitlam Cheetahs in 1989 to begin a rich period of track success. Under his leadership, the club produced five Canadian Olympians, including Leah Pells and daughter Tara Perry (nee Self). Percy was also credited with providing crucial training for pro football players like the B.C. Lions’ Bret Anderson, Hamilton Tigercats’ Sandy Beveridge, and Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Doug Brown. He and wife Norma were inducted together into the Athletics BC Hall of Fame in 2002. To celebrate Percy’s contributions to athletes young and old, the city of Coquitlam named the stadium at Town Centre Park in his honour. Percy passed away in 2005.

STAN SHILLINGTON (Lacrosse)
Stan Shillington has witnessed a lot of records fall since taking an interest in the sport in 1953. A police reporter by training, Stan’s nose for history and stats proved vital in protecting and promoting the history of Canada’s official summer sport. He has served the sport in a variety of key positions—coach, manager, administrator, statistician and historian. His efforts to save, record and chronicle the sport of lacrosse and its players has earned him a special honour in the hall of fame. Stan has won many awards over the years, including the first BC Lacrosse Association Service Pin and induction into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

TEAMS

1972 CENTENNIAL BASKETBALL TEAM
A provincial semi-finalist the year before, Centennial’s senior boy’s basketball team had its eye on provincial gold in 1971-72. A tough, one-point loss to the North Delta Huskies in the Fraser Valley final served as a perfect lesson for the Centennial Centaurs and head coach Gordon Betcher. In response, the Centaurs stepped up and knocked off opponent after opponent en route to the B.C. championship final. Led by 6’11” Lars Hansen, who was voted the tournament MVP after scoring 39 points in both the semi-final and the B.C. final, Centennial blasted North Delta 60-40 for the 1972 B.C. high school title.