For a guy bypassed in the National Hockey League draft following a solid final year of major junior hockey, Geoff Courtnall accomplished a great deal in a 17-year NHL career. The gritty winger, with a nose for the net, played for five teams along the way including Boston, Washington, Vancouver, St. Louis and Edmonton, where he won a Stanley Cup in a brief stop with the Oilers. He scored more than 30 goals six times and his teams made the playoffs every season he played. His NHL regular season totals of 367 goals and 432 assists make him Victoria's highest scoring NHLer by a slim margin over younger brother, Russ. Geoff who was in a 1983 graduating class that included Steve Yzerman and Pat Lafontaine was passed over in the draft. Boston took a flyer on the six-foot-one, 195-pound Oak Bay native, signing him that summer as a free agent. In just two seasons he had a full-time job with the Bruins, who kept him until late in the 1987-88 season before trading him to Edmonton. After winning a Cup with Wayne Gretzky and company, Courtnall bounced from Washington to St. Louis and then Vancouver, where the fan favourite helped the Canucks reach the Cup finals in 1994. Geoff rejoined the Blues for his last five seasons before an injury forced his retirement at age 37 in the 1999-2000 season.

As anyone involved with amateur sport knows, it takes really dedicated volunteers to allow an organization or team to flourish. Roy Woolsey was just such an individual, lending a hand behind the scenes and on the floor at various levels of lacrosse in Victoria from the box game's beginnings in the mid-1930s through the 1970s. A Bobby-helmet wearing beat cop at first and later a desk sergeant with the Victoria police, Woolsey was well-known in the community and developed numerous contacts whom he could hit up to sponsor his teams. In the 1940s, having gained experience managing the Joker's junior and intermediate teams, he was well-equipped to help the club move into the Senior 'B' ranks. With his help, they won the B.C. championship in 1943 and in 1945. Roy used his managerial experience to get on the board of the Greater Victoria Lacrosse Association in the late 1950s and in 1970 became GVLA president. Along the way, he worked as a director with the Shamrocks, until joining the fledgling McDonald's Bakery sponsored Junior A program in the early 70s. With his instrumental help, they developed into a Minto Cup winner. While he was a gruff character on the outside, Roy Woolsey had a big heart, as folks who took in games at the Memorial Arena witnessed. He was often stationed at the arena entrance ensuring handicapped patrons had a decent place from which to watch the game.