Jim Hubbard (aka “Mother” Hubbard) is well known around sports circles in Victoria from playing, coaching, umpiring, administrating and being the famous “Mad Viking” for the perennial National Champion University of Victoria (UVic) Vikes basketball teams.

Jim’s involvement in rugby goes back to the 1970s, first as a player with the James Bay Athletic Association (JBAA) and later as JBAA manager for 19 years. Along with Coach Tillman Briggs (GVSHOF inductee 1996), Jim was a huge contributor to the culture of the JBAA. He joined the National Rugby Centre as Manager of the Pacific Pride Rugby National Under 23 Team from 1996-2005 and, during that time, he coordinated and managed five Canadian U23 national team overseas tours and two eastern Canadian tours. He was also involved with the Senior Men’s National Rugby Team during the lead up to the 1999 and 2003 Rugby World Cups.

Jim was also a softball umpire and administrator. He umpired at all levels in Greater Victoria and was known for his colourful personality and style. After the Victoria Bates moved to the Northwest League In 1971, Jim was elected as President of Major Men’s Softball at Central Park in Victoria. The league survived due in no small part to his efforts. Jim’s contributions to the softball community include:
• District Commissioner, Softball B.C (1975 – 84)
• Founder of the Lower Island Softball Umpires Association (1985)
• President of the Lower Island Softball Umpires Association (1985 – 89)
• Deputy Umpire in Chief, Softball B.C (1985 – 90)

Jim was honoured with the Softball Canada Distinguished Service Award in 1993 and Washington State Umpires Association Award for Leadership and Teaching in 2004.

Despite his immense contributions to rugby and softball, Jim may best be known as the “Mad Viking” for the UVic Vikes basketball teams. He was famous across the country and graced many Canadian Championships. Legendary Vikes Coach Ken Shields (GVSHOF inductee 2003), said “I cannot remember him (Jim) missing a game in 13 years. He became a valuable member of the team and his insight into the character of each player was uncanny. His commitment to the team and the effort and energy that he brought to the job was a model for our players. Our goal was to be the best and he was undoubtedly the best in the country for what he did. ‘Mother’ Hubbard was a key contributor to the winning tradition established by the Basketball Vikes”.

Jim gave of himself to the cause of amateur sport in a selfless manner and left a positive impression with everyone he met - when you met Jim, he would always greet you with “huddy huddy!”

Jim was honoured for his extraordinary contribution, commitment and dedication as a volunteer to sport in Victoria by being awarded the Greater Victoria Sports Council Kiwanis Distinguished Service Award in 1990 and Canadian Indicator Club Distinguished Service Award in 1996.

An architect of the Long-Term Athlete Development Framework, Richard is the founding CEO of Sport for Life Society – a non-profit organization formed in 2014 to improve sport and physical activity experiences for everyone through the advancement of quality sport and physical literacy development.

Richard has facilitated the use of Long-Term Development in Sport and Physical Activity for over 60 sports in more than 100 countries. He has contributed to more than 200 resources on sport and physical literacy development, including Canada Soccer’s first strategic plan (2009-2013), and co-authored the book, Long-Term Athlete Development, with Istvan Balyi and Dr. Colin Higgs. Richard was also a catalyst for the development of the Indigenous Long-Term Participant Development Pathway.

Richard was instrumental in the introduction of physical literacy in Canada. He is a founding member of the UK-based International Physical Literacy Association, and of the International Physical Literacy Conference, which has been hosted on six occasions drawing in delegates from more than 50 nations.

Throughout his career, Richard has been a catalyst for advancing quality sport and developing physical literacy. In 2005, to mobilize knowledge, Richard created the Sport for Life Canadian Summit, an annual conference bringing together practitioners and leaders in diverse sectors including sport, recreation, health, and education. Since relocating to Victoria in the early 1990s, he has been involved in the founding of several other knowledge transfer opportunities within the sport and physical activity sphere, including the International Coaching Conference, the BC Regional Sport Network, the Olympic Youth Academy of BC, and the Coaches Association of BC.

Under Richard’s innovative leadership, the Sport for Life team was awarded the Canadian Medical Association's National Award for Excellence in Health Promotion, and the team was a finalist in the 2021 Global Design Challenge to find solutions to the challenges facing sport and physical activity due to COVID-19.

Richard has been involved in the successful garnering of several multi-million-dollar multi-year contracts to advance sport and physical literacy development both in Canada and internationally. In 2013, Richard was involved in the conception of Sport for Life’s Physical Literacy for Communities which has now positively impacted more than 175 communities throughout Canada. Internationally Sport for Life, under Richard’s leadership, is designing a school-based curriculum for the Apex Academy in Cairo, Egypt. Prior to incorporating Sport for Life, Richard was the Director of Sport for Vancouver’s successful 2010 Winter Olympic Games Bid Corporation.

Richard’s significant contributions to the sport and physical activity sector are fueled by his immense passion for sport. In addition to being the proud father of three sporty young adults, he has represented Canada in nine Natural Luge World Championships and was an All-Canadian West in soccer for the University of Calgary. Richard has served as a Commission member of the International Luge Federation, as a Board member of the Canadian Luge Association and is the founder of the Calgary Luge Club and the BC Luge Association.