KELOWNA – They are the cream of the crop in the local sports world. Some of them are athletes who have succeeded on the world stage, while others are being recognized for helping develop sports in the valley. On Tuesday morning, the Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame announced the 2015 inductees.
“Not just anybody gets into the Central Okanagan Sport Hall of Fame,” says Pat Kennedy, Managing Director for the Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame. “It is very tough so we do take the best of the best and there is no shortage of people, teams and individuals to select from.”
The latest inductees include Wayne Hicks, who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win the NHL Stanley Cup in 1961. Hicks is the only Kelowna player whose name appears on the Stanley Cup. Two-time world champion gymnast and the 2004 Pan Am Games and Indo-Pacific Games gold medalist Sarah Charles is being inducted as well. Christi Van Hees has also been selected. Van Hees is a two-time world racquetball champion and a silver medalist at the 1999 Pan Am games. Volleyball coach Rod Belinski is also being honoured. He guided the KLO Cougars to five provincial high school boys volleyball titles among other accomplishments. John and Jennifer Hindle are being inducted as well, posthumously for starting the Kelowna Apple Triathlon in1983 among other sports contributions.
The official induction will take place at a gala event in November. Tickets to the event can be purchased at the Kelowna Heritage Museum.
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