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Powell River’s Sports Hall of Fame has 10 worthy and accomplished inductees for its 2022 intake.
The new inductees, in alphabetical order, are: Brad Bombardir – athlete; Marion Borden – pioneer; Tristen Chernove – athlete; Scott Glaspey – builder; Larry Gouthro Sr. – builder; Doug Ladret – athlete; Larry Louie – pioneer; Debbie Massullo – athlete; Jesse Newman – athlete; and the 1997 Powell River Regals (team).
Connie Polman Tuin, inducted into the hall in 2019 as a track athlete, notified five of the 2022 inductees. She said she spoke to track star Marion Borden’s daughter Terrill Marlow, who was “very thrilled” with her mother’s selection, and was looking forward to the induction. Polman Tuin contacted figure skater Doug Ladret, who was excited to hear about the induction, and plans to be here. Larry Louie, a soccer player, was “honoured” with his selection. She said he has been a great role model.
Polman Tuin then called paracyclist Tristan Chernove, who was also honoured with his selection, and plans to attend the induction event in June. She then gave Scott Glaspey, her former track coach, a call. She said it was special to be able to advise her former coach that he’d made the sports hall of fame.
“Overall, everyone was thrilled with the announcement,” said Polman Tuin.
Drew Ferguson, also a 2019 inductee as a soccer player, told four new inductees about their honours. He said football player Jesse Newman was “over the moon” with his induction and hockey player Brad Bombardir was honoured by his selection. Curler Debbie Massullo was happy to hear the news and is looking forward to the induction ceremony, added Ferguson. He spoke to Larry Gouthro Sr.’s son Larry Jr., who was honoured by his father’s selection and plans to accept the award on behalf of his father, who was a driving force for local baseball.
Ferguson said the accomplishments of athletes from this region are amazing, especially given the size of the community.
Class of 2022
In terms of the new inductees, Brad Bombardir is a former National Hockey League player who was drafted 56th overall by the New Jersey Devils in 1990. He played for the Powell River Kings for two years and the University of North Dakota for four years. He won a Stanley Cup with New Jersey in 2000 and brought the Stanley Cup home to Powell River. After playing with the Devils, he played for the Minnesota Wild for four seasons and spent part of one season with Nashville Predators.
Borden, who is deceased, known as Paper Town’s speedster and queen of the cinder path, was a sprinter in the 1930s and 1940s who held provincial and national records, and was a silver medalist in two events at the Canadian women’s championship in 1939. She had set her sights on the 1940 Olympic Games, but they were cancelled due to the Second World War. She retired from active competition in 1940.
Chernove is a Team Canada paracyclist with 13 world championships and numerous silver and bronze podium finishes in international competitions. He is also a Paralympian, with four medals from two Paralympics, including one gold, two silver and one bronze. He is a three-time winner of the Canadian paracyclist of the year award. Chernove, who won a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, has retired from elite competition.
Glaspey was instrumental in building up the Powell River track club to be one of the top performing clubs in BC. Throughout his coaching career, local athletes won numerous provincial titles and several athletes competed at the national level and medaled. He coached Polman Tuin to Canadian records and world-class events, such as the 1984 Olympics. He was also a Team Canada coach.
Gouthro Sr., who is deceased, taught hundreds of Powell River children to play baseball at a high standard. He spent countless hours teaching the game he loved to young people in this community. Gouthro has been honoured by City of Powell River with the park on Manson Avenue, featuring baseball diamonds and soccer fields, being named after him.
Ladret was a figure skater, who, with partner Christine Hough, won gold at the 1987 Skate Canada international meet and the 1988 Canadian championship. They were selected to compete in the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics, where they placed eighth. They competed in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, where they placed ninth. They also placed ninth at the 1992 world championship.
Louie is an exceptional athlete, natural leader and mentor, who has inspired people in the soccer world and beyond. He received scholarship offers from Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia and Saint Louis University in Missouri. He was unable to take the scholarships but played on the BC soccer team that won the gold medal in the 1969 Canada Summer Games. He was also scouted by professional soccer teams, tried out for the Vancouver Whitecaps, and played for Powell River Villa.
Massullo is a world champion curler, having played lead for the Pat Sanders team from Victoria. In 1987, her team had eight wins and one loss in the world championship tournament, played in Chicago. In the final, Canada beat Germany 14-2.
Also in 1987, the Sanders team won the Scott Tournament of Hearts for the Canadian championship, beating Manitoba 9-3. In the tournament, played in Lethbridge, Alberta, Massullo’s player percentage was 92 per cent, and in the final, 94 per cent.
Newman is a two-time Grey Cup champion with BC Lions and Calgary Stampeders. The offensive lineman was the third overall pick in the 2008 Canadian Football League draft and went to the Stampeders, where he won his first Grey Cup. He was traded to the Lions in 2010, where he went on to win his second championship.
In 1997, Powell River Regals won the Allan Cup, which is awarded to the best Canadian Senior AAA hockey team. The 1997 Regals were inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017 and had 17 Powell River-born and raised players on the roster in 1997. The 1997 Allan Cup was hosted in Powell River and Regals won the final 7-3 over the three-time defending champion Warroad Lakers.
