COQUITLAM, BC – The Coquitlam Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct an illustrious group of athletes and sports contributors to its membership roll in 2014: athletes Bill Bradley, Pat Philley and Gail Sayers, and in the builder category, Brian Lewis and Bill Mitchell. This year’s athletic inductees come from a variety of sports, but share excellence in accomplishment.

Bradley’s achievements on the lacrosse floor could fill a few nets and then some. The Burnaby native joined the Coquitlam Adanacs in their inaugural season in 1965 and quickly established himself as one of the go-to players on a roster that some initially considered to be boxla castoffs. The players proved their detractors wrong by establishing the Adanac brand as one to be feared, with Bradley’s defensive prowess setting the tone. In just its second season, Coquitlam would top the Inter-City league (predecessor to the Western Lacrosse Association). Despite a reputation as a defensive pillar and physical force, Bradley would go on to accumulate 376 goals and 561 assists over 498 senior lacrosse games with various clubs. In Coquitlam, he posted 641 points in 295 games, putting him seventh among all-time Adanac scorers. A seven-time first-team all-star, Bradley would be inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1987.

Philley was one of community’s early sports heroes, having earned a spot on the Canadian national soccer team in the mid-1950s. Playing alongside brother Brian, Philley served as Canada’s captain in World Cup qualifiers in 1957, including a 5-1 victory over the United States in Toronto, and a pair of losses to Mexico in Mexico City. The win over the US came in Canada’s first FIFA World qualifier match, with Philley scoring one of the goals. Prior to that, he was a prominent member of the Vancouver City team that won the Canadian Challenge Cup in 1950, beating Winnipeg 4-1 and 4-0 in the final. Philley would be a two-time member of the BC All-Stars against such legendary clubs as Rangers FC (in 1954), Huddersfield Town (1955), Aberdeen FC and Lokomotiv Moscow (1956), and Tottenham Hotspur(1957). He became a member of Canada’s Soccer Hall of Fame in 2004.

Sayers was a standout player as a teenager at Centennial Secondary, and continued that as a member of the Simon Fraser University women’s basketball program during the mid-70s, earning the school’s Athlete of the Year award in both 1976 and 1977. During her time on Burnaby Mountain (under her maiden name, Gail Klaver), Sayers established a new school scoring record of 2,537. She also established a school mark in rebounds, with 1,385, which still stands today. She would go on to be a key member of Canada’s national basketball team during the late-1970s. Her accomplishments in Clan colours earned her a spot in the SFU Sports Hall of Fame. Sayers recently capped a 33-year teaching career in District 43, spending a great deal of that time inspiring students to be physically active.

The list of athletes is complemented by two inspirational sports leaders who volunteers and engineers programs that created opportunities for Coquitlam youth.

Lewis volunteered thousands of hours during a lengthy teaching career at Banting Middle and Gleneagle Secondary schools, crafting field hockey programs at both institutions. After studying the success of other school districts, in 2000 he founded the Tri-City Eagles Field Club and began the tough task of building a program which could provide local youth – and adults – an opportunity to experience and develop in the sport. He and a dedicated group of volunteers guided the club from a handful of teams in the beginning to now approximately 500 players, from four- year olds to adults. Numerous local players have gone on to pursue the sport at the provincial, national and collegiate levels , while others have been inspired to give back by helping coach the more than 26 Eagles teams, thanks to the program established by Lewis.

Mitchell played an instrumental role in Canada’s wrestling program during the period of 1969-89. A former Canadian Football League player and a long-time teacher at Centennial Secondary, Mitchell founded the BC-Japan Cultural exchange program that saw wrestlers from BC and Japan gain from cultural and athletic encounters. He was also director of BC Wrestling Association and the president of the Canadian Amateur Wrestling Association, while coaching and managing national teams at World, Pan Am and Olympic competitions. He is a member of various Hall of Fames, including the Canadian Amateur Wrestlng (1992) and Ontario Sports Hall of Fames.

The Coquitlam Sports Hall of Fame will honour the newest class of inductees, along with a group of teams and individuals for its annual Wall of Fame recipients, at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday June 19th, 2014, at the Coquitlam Sports and Leisure Centre (633 Poirier St.). For information on the induction ceremonies or to purchase tickets to attend the evening gala, email info@coquitlamshof.com.

For more information on the inductees and the Coquitlam Sports Hall of Fame, contact Les Wingrove Vice President CSHOF 604 936-5128 email Les Wingrove.

Hall of Fame and Wall of Fame gala
7:00 p.m.
Thursday June 19th, 2014

Coquitlam Sports and Leisure Centre
633 Poirier Street, Coquitlam, BC