The Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame is proud to announce its Class of 2025.

This year’s inductees represent excellence across a wide range of sports and contributions to the sporting community—locally, nationally, and internationally. The class includes five Athletes, two Builders, and one Media inductee, each of whom has made an enduring impact on the sporting landscape of Greater Victoria and beyond.

“This year is the 31st induction ceremony and dinner for the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame and this year’s inductees are great champions of their sports,” said Doug Jennings, President of the GVSHoF Board of Directors. “I look forward to celebrating their accomplishments in late October with their many friends and family members as well as our community and supporters.”

Athletes being inducted this year include Dave Campbell (athletics), Jamie Lowery (soccer), Catherine Pendrel (cycling), Darren Reisig (lacrosse) and Kirsten Sweetland (triathlon). In the builder category, George Morfitt (multi-sport) and the Operation Trackshoes Community Sport Program are being inducted. Iconic Times Colonist sports reporter Cleve Dheensaw will be honoured with the Sid Thomas Media Award.

“The Greater Victoria community has a rich sporting history and so many outstanding athletes, coaches, officials and builders,” said Chris Graham, Chair of the Induction Nominations Committee. “Each year, the Induction Nominations Committee has a difficult job to decide which names to put forward for induction to the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame.”

The inductees will be honoured at an in-person event on October 25, 2025, while a visual representation of the inductees will be added to the physical Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame display at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre concourse. Tickets for the Induction Dinner & Ceremony are available online.

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Over 250 athletes, teams, coaches, officials, builders, and media personalities have been inducted into the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame since 1991.

ATHLETES

Dave Campbell – Athletics
A middle-distance running standout, Dave Campbell launched his career at Mount Douglas Secondary and rose through the ranks of the Victoria Mercuries Track Club and University of Victoria’s Vikes program. Specializing in the 1500-m to 5000-m events, Campbell represented Canada on the international stage throughout the 1980s and 90s, including appearances at the World Championships, World Indoor Championships, and the 1986 Commonwealth Games, where he captured a Bronze medal. He was also a Gold medalist at the 1989 Francophone Games. A three-time Canadian 1500m champion (1986–1988), Campbell was a crowd favourite at the Victoria and Harry Jerome International Track Classics and was named Victoria’s Athlete of the Year in 1986.

Jamie Lowery – Soccer
Port Alberni-born and Victoria-adopted, Jamie Lowery’s soccer journey began at age five and blossomed into a storied career. A University of Victoria standout and team captain, Lowery helped lead the Vikes to a national championship. He was a member of the Canadian squad at the 1984 Olympics and a key player in Canada’s 1986 FIFA World Cup campaign in Mexico. Between 1987 and 1992, he played over 100 matches with the Vancouver 86ers, winning four Canadian Soccer League titles. His international résumé includes appearances in the Pan American Games, World Student Games, and multiple international friendlies. He was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2009.

Catherine Pendrel – Cycling
From nervous teenage cyclist to world-class champion, Catherine Pendrel is one of Canada’s most decorated mountain bikers. A four-time Olympian and Olympic Bronze medalist at Rio 2016, Pendrel’s career includes three World Cup overall titles (2010, 2012, 2016), Gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and Gold at the 2007 Pan Am Games. Overcoming multiple injuries, including back-to-back collarbone fractures, Pendrel consistently ranked among the top riders in the world for over a decade. She capped her storied career by competing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics just months after giving birth to her daughter.

Darren Reisig – Lacrosse
A Victoria lacrosse legend, Darren Reisig excelled both as a player and a builder of the game. His playing career includes multiple provincial championships and Mann Cup titles with the Victoria Shamrocks. He also played in the National Lacrosse League with the Vancouver Ravens, San Jose Stealth, and Portland Timbers, earning All-Star recognition in 2002. Off the floor, Reisig has made a tremendous impact at Claremont Secondary School, where he leads the Lacrosse Academy and Sports Institute, mentoring student-athletes across several sports. He also runs BC's Best Lacrosse Player Showcase, connecting top high school talent with collegiate opportunities.

Kirsten Sweetland – Triathlon
Victoria’s Kirsten Sweetland made Canadian triathlon history in 2006 as the first Canadian woman to win the World Junior Title. Despite battling numerous injuries throughout her career, Sweetland consistently reached the top tier of international competition. She earned Silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and won multiple World Cup podiums, including a Bronze in Hamburg. She competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics, capping off a resilient and inspiring career. Since retiring in 2017, Sweetland has supported the next generation of athletes as a coach and is now a registered massage therapist.

BUILDERS

George Morfitt – Multi-Sport
George Morfitt has worn many hats in sport: champion athlete, accomplished administrator, and respected advocate. As a competitor, Morfitt won titles in squash, tennis, and racquetball across five decades and multiple age categories, including national and international titles. His squash honours include inductions into the BC and Canadian Squash Halls of Fame. Off the court, he has served in leadership roles with the BC Sports Hall of Fame, Canadian Sport Centre Pacific, the Canadian Olympic Association, and multiple provincial sport organizations. In 1988, he was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame and was named Sport Canada Executive of the Year for Amateur Sports in 1978.

Operation Trackshoes – Community Sport Program
For over 50 years, Operation Trackshoes (OT) brought inclusive, empowering sport to individuals with developmental disabilities across British Columbia. Launched in 1971 and hosted annually at the University of Victoria, the event welcomed hundreds of “competitors” each year, supported by an equally large team of volunteers. More than just a sports meet, OT fostered friendship, community, and dignity through a unique counsellor-participant model that emphasized inclusion and support. Co-leaders Judith Armstrong and Nick Marsden were recognized with numerous honours, including the BC Good Citizenship Award. OT celebrated its 50th and final event in 2023, leaving a lasting legacy in Victoria and beyond.

>MEDIA

Cleve Dheensaw – Sid Thomas Media Award
A pillar of sports journalism on Vancouver Island, Cleve Dheensaw has chronicled local, national, and international sports for over 40 years. A graduate of Victoria High School and the University of Victoria, Cleve began covering sports in the 1980s and became a fixture at the Victoria Times Colonist. He has reported from four Olympic Games, six Commonwealth Games, and the 2015 Pan American Games, while also authoring six books on Canadian sport history. In 2017, he received the Fred Collins Award and the Fred Sgambati Media Award for excellence in university sport coverage and in 2020 he was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame. Through his storytelling, Dheensaw has elevated generations of athletes from grassroots to global stages.

Media Contact:

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