Don Wakelyn, a dedicated volunteer, had boundless energy and he immersed himself in the Victoria sports scene through the latter part of the 20th century, especially where there were youngsters concerned. He began developing his connections to amateur sport in the early 1950's and was soon involved with soccer, baseball, hockey and basketball. Wakelyn was an outstanding administrator for Little League baseball and a co-founder of the Gorge Soccer Association. Having been involved in soccer, he and co-coaches George Kulai and Earl Barnswell encouraged a number of senior players to coach boys' teams in the Hampton Park area and that led to the formation of the Gorge association that still thrives today. While he held executive positions in local and provincial soccer, Wakelyn also found time to get involved in hockey and was the founding secretary of the Esquimalt Figure Skating Club. In summer, baseball was his passion but he also contributed to the well being of lacrosse. Wakelyn was named Victoria's Sportsman of the Year in 1968, but that was near the start of his lengthy, active, behind the scenes, involvement. Thousands of young people benefited from his tireless volunteer work over the years and many athletes owe him a debt of gratitude.

Silken Laumann gained rowing glory living and training in Victoria and she is well known to all Canadians for rebounding from a serious leg injury to win the bronze medal for single sculls at the 1992 Olympics. Laumann provided many amazing performances during 13 years of competitive rowing. She made the national team in 1983 at 18 and the following year won Olympic bronze in double sculls paired with her sister. She battled chronic back pain in the 1980's then climbed the international rowing ladder and won the World Championship in 1991. Laumann's efforts earned her the 1991 Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's Outstanding Athlete. But there was more recognition and competitive glory to come. Her bronze medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, coming less than two months after her boat was rammed and her leg badly injured at a regatta in Germany, became the stuff of legends. She went on to win more World medals and retired from the national team after winning singles silver at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Laumann was named Canada's 1992 Female Athlete of the Year and became the first non-American to win the Wilma Rudolph International Courage Award in 1997. She was named to the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.