Four new entrants join sports hall of fame
Official induction ceremony to take place on Nov. 10
A former professional soccer player who is now part-owner of a championship team is among the newest inductees of the Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame.
Rob Friend played for the Canadian men’s national team from 2003 to 2011, and is now one of the three owners of Pacific FC, currently the top team in the Canadian Premier League.
Raised in Kelowna, Friend, 41, had an 11-year professional soccer career in Europe, including stints with Hertha Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Bundesliga. He also played for the Los Angeles Galaxy in the MLS before retiring in 2014.
He is now chief executive officer and one of the three owners of Pacific FC, which plays in Victoria. The team won the CPL title last year.
The Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame announces its annual inductees each spring with a formal ceremony to be held in the fall.
Other inductees this year are:
— Runner Phil Ellis, who dominated the Kelowna running scene for years. His Canadian 5K record stood for 16 years and he won five gold, five silver, and four bronze medals at the National Championships
— Jack May, in the builder category, for a lifetime commitment to basketball as a coach, referee, and administrator. May founded the Western Canada Basketball Tournament at KSS and is already a member of Basketball B.C. Hall of Fame
— Kelowna Major Men’s Fastball Association, in the Pioneer Category. The group was formed in 1940 and began play at King’s Stadium in 1960 with 13 teams.
The official induction ceremony will be held Nov. 10 at the Coast Capri Hotel.
Created in 2008 by Kelowna Museums, the Central Okanagan Sports Hall of
Fame currently has 60 members, made up of outstanding athletes, teams, coaches, and sports builders.
No inductees were admitted in 2020 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2021 event was a virtual affair.