1980 Kootenay Men's Bowling Team

The Trail Daily Times titled the headline: Meet the best bowlers in Canada! Three Trail men brought home the National Five-Pin Championship title in May 1980, following a stellar tournament in Winnipeg. Those Trail members were Dave Orlando, Al Venturini, and Brad Elliott. 

The men competed as the Kootenay Men’s team, a six-man squad comprised of the Kootenays’ top scorers. The team’s other bowlers were Alex Sidor of Creston, Pat McKenzie of Cranbrook, and Red Brochur of Nelson. They were coached by Chuck Symmonds, also of Nelson.

After battling past seven other zones for the provincial title, the Kootenay Men’s Team advanced to the nationals, held in Winnipeg from April 29^th to May 3^rd, 1980, where 11 teams competed.

This BC team beat second-place Alberta by 7.5 points, racking up a total of 26 points out of a total 32.

Brad Elliott bowled an average of 256, 13 pins over his seasonal average. Al Venturini was close behind, with a 253 average.

That year, with a stunning individual performance by Trail’s Ron Sandnes, the BC representatives secured the Aggregate Banner, with four of those representatives coming from Trail.

Dave, Al, and Brad were inducted in 2025.

Aaron Santesso

Aaron Santesso was born in Trail in 1972.  He received a BA at UBC and a MA and PhD from Queen’s University.  He is a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellow and is currently a Professor of Literature at Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).

 Dr. Santesso has authored or edited a number of books; most recently he is co-author (with David Rosen) of The Watchman in Pieces: Surveillance, Literature, and Liberal Personhood.  The book was awarded the Modern Language Association’s James Russell Lowell Prize, among the most prestigious academic awards in North America.  He has published dozens of articles and reviews in academic journals and general-audience publications.  He will be appearing in a forthcoming documentary about surveillance.

Adam Deadmarsh

Adam Deadmarsh was born in Trail on May 10, 1975, and played his minor hockey in Beaver Valley. Following a stellar rookie season with the Beaver Valley Nighthawks of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, he was signed by the Western Hockey League's Portland Winter Hawks in 1991. Two years later he was the second choice of the Quebec Nordiques (14th overall) in the National Hockey League entry draft.

Deadmarsh enjoyed tremendous success at Portland, scoring 134 goals and 276 points in 222 games. Due to the fact that his mother was born in the U.S., he was eligible to play for the American national junior team, and twice competed in the world junior championships.

When the Nordiques moved to Denver, Colorado, prior to the 1995-96 season, Deadmarsh went with them. He was a key member of the Avalanche Stanley Cup championship team that season, and in the fall of 1996 was a member of the gold medal champion Team USA in the World Cup. He led the Avalanche in goals with 33 in 1996-97 and was selected to play for Team USA at the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano, where Team USA took home the silver medal.  Adam was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 2001 and due to injury, announced his retirement from the NHL in 2005.

Albert V. "Marc" Marcolin

Marc Marcolin was born in Bellevue, Alberta on March 24, 1919.

He received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Alberta.

He joined Cominco in Calgary in 1941 and came to Trail in 1946. He worked abroad for Cominco from 1958 until 1974. He then returned to Trail as Vice President of Western Operations.

Prior to his retirement in April 1984, Marc Marcolin was President of Cominco Electronic Materials Division. Marc was in charge of the modernization of the Cominco Industrial Complex and was involved in the development of the Electronic Materials Business.

Marc was involved in setting up and operating the Community Economic Action Committee, the Community Futures Society and the Business Development Centre until he was elected Mayor of Trail in 1987.

Other activities:
Chairman: Community Economic Action Committee, 1986-1988
Chairman: Community Futures Society, 1986-1988
Chairman: Regional District of Kootenay Boundary
Chairman: Trail Junior High Building Committee
Director: Rossland Museum, mid 1970s-1984
Director: Selkirk College Foundation, 1981-1984

Marc Marcolin has been continually active in many clubs and services.

Andy Bilesky

Andy Bilesky has coached and managed Little League Baseball in Trail since 1953 when the league was formed.

For five decades, Andy has dedicated his time to training and development of young ballplayers. His devotion to the development of high standards in his young players has resulted in his teams' attainment of excellence at all levels of competition.

He has managed twelve Provincial Little League Champions and five Canadian Champions, (1967, 1976, 1980, 1981, and 1990) allowing Trail to represent Canada at the Little League World Series five times in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Andy was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986 and the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame on April 26, 1994.

The Little League Park in Trail bears his name in recognition of his efforts to provide quality playing facilities for his players and for his achievements in Little League Baseball.

Andy was chosen as Trail's Citizen of the Year in 1986. Andy passed away in 2008.

Armando Gri

Armando Gri was one of most honoured and decorated non-commissioned officers in the Canadian Army in WWII.

Armando was born in Phoenix, BC on December 25, 1918. He grew up in Trail's Gulch, where he was known as Gabby.

In 1940, Armando enlisted in the Canadian Army. Initially with the Irish Fusiliers (Vancouver regiment) he later transferred to the Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's). While serving with the Princess Mary's in France and in Holland Sgt. Gri distinguished himself on numerous occasions. For his acts of bravery and courage as a platoon commander, he was awarded the Military Medal and the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

He later received a bar to the Military Medal, and two oak leaves.

Taken a prisoner by the Germans in 1944, Armando endured horrific conditions while being transported in a railway goods van across Germany. Through his foresight in concealing a penknife, Armando and his fellow prisoners were able to carve an escape hatch in the side of the van and make their escape. With the aid of Dutch freedom fighters Armando was able to reach Holland, where he made contact with the British Army.

After the war, Armando worked for construction companies across Canada. He died January 1, 1991 in Vancouver.

Barret Jackman

Barret was born in Trail and raised in Fruitvale, where he played his Minor Hockey. He played 4 seasons of Major Junior Hockey for the Regina Pats from 1997-2001.
Barret, a defenseman, won the Pats' Rookie of the Year Award and Scholastic Player of the Year in the 1997/98 season, and was the team's MVP in the 1999-2000 season. That year, he Captained Canada's Under 18 Team to a Gold Medal in the Under 18 World Tournament in Slovakia. In 2000 and 2001, Barret was a member of Canada's World Junior Team.

Barret was the St. Louis Blues' first choice, 17th overall, in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He joined the Blues for the 2002/03 season and was voted the NHL's Rookie of the Year.

Beaver Valley Jr. B Hockey Team (2013-2014)

The Beaver Valley Jr. B hockey team has won seven KIJHL league championships in the last fourteen years and five Cyclone Taylor Cups (BC Provincial Championship).  In 2014, the team won the Cyclone Taylor Cup and went on to win the Keystone Cup beating teams from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and North Ontario.  The Keystone Cup is recognized as Canada’s Jr. B National Championship.

The Beaver Valley Nitehawks 2013-14 team are:

Sam Swanson, Jake Yuris, Keanan Patershuk, Sheldon Hubbard, Lyle Frank, Blake Sidoni, Riley Brandt, Ryan Edwards, Walker Sidoni, Jeremy Lucchini, Mitch Titus, Dan Holland, Dallas Calvin, Kyle Hope, Brett Clark, Fraser Stang, Jacob Boyczuk, Archie McKinnon, Russell Mortlock, Braden Fuller, Mitch Foyle, Taylor Stafford, Carson Schamerhorn.

Kevin Limbert - Assistant Coach

Jamie Cominotto - Assistant Coach

Terry Jones - Head Coach/General Manager

Tom Meakes - Trainer

Dave Pasin - Video Coach

Kevin Hendricks - Trainer

Ben McPeek

Ben McPeek was best known as "King of the Jingle" for 2000 commercials he wrote.

Brian "Ben" McPeek was born in Saskatchewan and came to Trail in 1940. He started studying music at the age of nine with Jessie Gairnes. He graduated from the University of Toronto in 1956 with a degree in music.

Besides jingles, Ben wrote pop music and serious piano music. Ben helped initiate The Guess Who, Bachman Turner Overdrive, and many other young musicians.

He initiated the idea of a Library of Canadian Music and with the assistance of Imperial Oil, The Imperial Oil McPeek Pops Library was founded.

Ben died in 1981, but is well remembered as a conductor, an arranger, a performer, a business entrepreneur and a top music industry personality.

Bernice Saunders

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Bill Leaman

Bill Leaman is a founding President of the Trail Curling Association and is Past President, Secretary-Treasurer and Executive Member of the Trail Men's Curling Club. He has been a member of the Club for over 40 years.

Mr. Leaman is also Past President, Secretary-Treasurer and Executive Member of the West Kootenay Curling Association.

He has served as Secretary-Treasurer and Secretary Manager of the British Columbia Curling Association from 1966 to 1974 and from 1976 to 1979. He has also served as Director and Vice President of that body. Bill was made an Honourary Life Member of the B.C. Association in 1975 and given an additional honourarium in 1977.

Bill also served as President, Vice President and Executive Member of the Canadian Curling Association. He has represented the Association at the World Curling Federation meetings and was named an Honourary Life Member of the Association in 1977.

Mr. Leaman was elected as a Builder to the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 1977.

Bill was elected and appointed a member of the prestigious Governor-General's Curling Club in 1990 and he continues to serve as Western Canada's representative for this Club.

Bill McEwan

Bill was born and raised in Trail and has spent over 30 years in grocery retailing. He is currently President and CEO and member of the Board of Directors of Sobeys's Incorporated.

Bill began his career at Ferraro's Ltd., or Super Valu, at the age of 15, spending 13 years with the company in a variety of roles in BC and Alberta. He joined Coca Cola Ltd. in Toronto in 1989 and held a number of senior positions with the firm before joining A&P Canada as a Senior Vice President of Grocery and Non-food Merchandising in 1994. He was appointed President and Chief Merchandising Officer of that company in 1996 and also served as President and CEO of the company's US-Atlantic Region. In 2000, he joined Sobey's. There he has overseen the development of the company's long-term strategic plan, built a solid leadership team that has executed Sobey's Food Focused Program plans.

Bill has served on the Board of Directors for CIES, the Food Business Forum, the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, and the Grocery Industry Foundation. In 1999, he was recognized as National Volunteer of the Year by the Kids Help Phone Foundation.

In 2005, he was presented with the Golden Pencil Award, the Canadian Grocery Industry's highest honour in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Canadian Food Industry.

Bill Watson

Bill is being recognized for his success as an amateur boxer.

Bill began his boxing career in 1970 at the age of 14. As a member of the Trail Boxing Club, he represented Trail in matches throughout BC and the northwest United States. In 1977, he moved to Sparwood to better his skills and won both the BC and Alberta Golden Gloves Championships. That year he also represented BC at the Canadian Championships in Edmonton.

While there, he was only one of two BC boxers to make the Finals.

Bill held the Western Canada title until 1978, losing the Finals of the BC Golden Gloves.

Bill competed throughout Western Canada and the northwest United States. In his final year of boxing in 1980, he was named to the Provincial Boxing Team to compete against the California Boxing Team in Sacramento, California. Here he was awarded the Best Canadian Boxer. He was selected to the Canadian National Seniors Boxing Team and represented Canada at the European Championships in Tampere, Finland. He had an excellent chance of making the Canadian Olympic Boxing Team until Canada agreed to boycott the 1980 Olympics in Russia.

Bill remains active in boxing as the Coach of the Elk Valley Boxing Club and has coached teams in two BC Winter Games.

Bobby Kromm

Bobby Kromm has excelled as a player and a coach in four hockey leagues for over 30 years. In 1948, Bobby joined the Kimberley Dynamiters of the Western International Hockey League, and the following year moved to Trail, where he married and remained until 1963. From 1963 to 1965, he was player coach in Nelson. Bobby played 475 games in the WIHL (Western International Hockey League), the second most in the league history. He is all-time league leader in points, with 783 and all-time league leader in assists with 524. Bobby led the Trail Smoke Eaters in scoring in 1954-55, and 1958-59.
From 1959 to 1963, Bobby was playing coach of the Trail Smoke Eaters, where he led the team to the finals in the 1960 Allan Cup and coached the team to the historic 1961 World Hockey Championship, against all odds. Under his tenure, the Smoke Eaters were also winners of the 1962 Allan Cup, and represented Canada in the 1963 World Hockey Championship.

While player coach of the Nelson Maple Leafs, Nelson reached the finals of the Allan Cup Championship.

From 1967 to 1975, Bobby was coach of the Dallas Black Hawks in the Central Hockey League. In 1972, he was Coach of the Year in that League. Under his leadership, the Dallas Black Hawks finished first in league standings in the 1971-1972, 1973-74, and 1974-75 seasons, and won the League Championships in the 1968-69, 1971-72 and 1973-74 seasons. From 1971 to 1975, he also managed the Dallas Arena, as well as being Coach and General Manager of the Black Hawks.

In 1975, Bobby moved to coach the Winnipeg Jets of the World Hockey Association. He was Coach of the Year of the World Hockey Association in 1976 and won the WHA Championship with Winnipeg in the 1975-76 season, and lost in the WHA Finals in 1976-77. Bobby coached 161 games in the WHA.

In 1977, Bobby moved on again to coach the Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League. Bobby was Coach of the Year in the National Hockey League in 1978 and coached the Red Wings in 231 games in the NHL.

Since leaving the hockey scene, Bobby worked in the automotive industry in Livonia, Michigan.  He passed away in July 2010.

Brandon Gawryletz

Born in Trail in 1983, Brandon’s childhood was not unlike most youth in our area. He played minor hockey in the Greater Trail Minor Hockey system, supporting several teams to league wins and three provincial championships in Pee Wee AA and Bantam AA.

In 1997, Brandon played in the BC Games in Osoyoos. The following year, he joined the Beaver Valley Nighthawks for a season, followed by two seasons with the Trail Junior Smoke Eaters, another two with the Langley Hornets, then returning to Trail for the 2003-04 season.

During that time, he was selected for Team Pacific, with whom he played in the 2000 World Under 17 Hockey Challenge in Timmins, Ontario.

His post-secondary career brought him to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, part of NCAA Division 1, from 2004 to 2008.

He began officiating professionally in the East Coast Hockey League and the Central League for the 2013-14 season. The following year, Brandon officiated his first NHL game on October 14, 2015. He has officiated over 600 games, including many playoff games.

Brandon lives in Colorado with his wife, Dr. Chelsea Gawryletz, and children Audrey and Gracie.

With brother Travis, the Gawryletz brothers are the first professional sports officials to be inducted to the Home of Champions. The brothers now join the ranks of esteemed Trail siblings like the Stones, the Haleys, the Kobluks, and the Bays. They were inducted in 2025.

Brian Pipes

Brian is being honourd for his achievements in two sports, Babe Ruth Baseball and Girls Softball.
Brian has coached baseball and softball in our area for over 45 years. In that time, his boys' teams have won 5 Provincial Championships, and the girls' teams have won 7. He has guided 9 of his teams to Pacific Northwest Regional berths. In 2004, under his direction, the local Under 12 Girls Softball Team earned a berth in the North American Under 12 Girls World Series, the first time a Canadian team has reached this tournament.

With his dedication, support and coaching talents, Brian has sent 14 girls to US colleges and universities on scholarships.

Brian has also dedicated considerable time to the administration of baseball in our Province. He has been involved in Babe Ruth Baseball locally for many years and served as Assistant Provincial Commissioner for 10 years, and Provincial Commissioner for 5. As well, he as been Assistant Pacific Northwest Regional Commissioner, overseeing regional tournaments and is a member of the Pacific Northwest Region Advisory Board for Babe Ruth Baseball. He is a member of Baseball BC's Management Team, which oversees all baseball programs in BC.

Brian has been elected a member of BC's Babe Ruth Hall of Fame and Baseball BC's Hall of Fame, where he has received the Silver Diamond Award for his work in baseball in the Province. In 2011, Brian was inducted into Softball BC's Hall of Fame for Outstanding Meritous Service.

Brian was inducted in the Babe Ruth League Hall of Fame for his service to baseball development in 2023.

Bruce LeRose

Bruce LeRose is recognized for his contribution to the profession of Law in British Columbia.  Bruce is a partner in the Trail law firm of Thompson, LeRose & Brown.

Bruce graduated from the University of BC with a law degree in 1982.  He returned to his hometown of Trail and joined the law firm of Geronazzo and Thompson.  He became a partner in the firm in 1987.

He has been President of the Kootenay Bar Association and represented the County of Kootenay at the BC Law Society from 2004 to 2012.  During that time, he served on the Society's Finance Committee, the Practice Standards, Credentials and Unauthorized Practice Committee, and chaired the Lawyer Education and Continued Professional Development, the Small Form Task Force, the Special Compensation Fund and the Trust Assurance Fund.

Bruce was President of the Law Society in 2012, the only Kootenay lawyer in the history of the Law Society of BC to become President.  In 2006, he was named Queen's Counsel.

Bruce has also been very involved in his community, as a Board member of Columbia View Lodge, Sanctuary, the Rossland-Trail Golf Club, and has been President of the Colombo Lodge.  In 2001, he chaired the committee responsible for the construction of the Trail Centennial Family Park and in 2007 he chaired the organizaing committee for the World Junior 'A' Hockey Challenge in Trail.

Bruce resides in Trail with his wife, Melanie.  He has two sons, Nicholas and Alex.

Bruno Basilio Freschi

Bruno Freschi was the chief architect and planner of the 1986 Vancouver Exposition site.

Bruno Freschi was born in Trail April 18, 1937. He graduated from J. Lloyd Crowe Secondary School. As a UBC graduating student, he received Canada's top architecture award ($2500 traveling scholarship). He studied in London with the Architectural Association before joining Massey-Erikson in 1964. He founded Bruno Freschi Architects in 1970 in Vancouver, BC.

Projects completed at his firm include Georgia Place, Whistler Village and MacMillian Bloedel's Research Centre. At the same time as Expo 86 was being planned, Bruno also designed an Ismaili Temple in Burnaby which was the first Muslim Prayer House in North America.

Butch Boutry

In 1959-63, Butch Boutry was a member of the Canadian National Ski Team.

In 1963, he won the Western Canadian Men's Ski Championships.

He was also the Veterans Champion three years in a row.

In 1971-76, Butch coached the Canadian National Ski Team, becoming the head coach.

He also coached the Red Mountain Racers for 2 years and has been the coach of the Canadian Disabled Ski Team. Butch took this team to the 1980, 1984 and 1988 Olympics.

Butch has coached many Summer Ski Camps including Oregon International Summer Racing Camp and the Kokanee Summer Camp.

Butch has his level four coaching certificate and has been a course director for Canadian Ski Coaches Federation for four years. Butch has a life-time membership to this organization. Butch is also the Western Program Director for the Canadian Ski Association and is responsible for coaches, courses and clinics for the National Ski Team in Western Canada.

Butch Deadmarsh

Butch played all his Minor Hockey in Trail before joining the Kelowna Buckaroos of the BC Hockey League, where he was Rookie of the Year in the 1966/67 season. In 1968, he joined the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League.

Butch was drafted 15th overall by the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL in the 1970 Expansion Draft. He played 137 games in the NHL with Buffalo, the Atlanta Flames, and the Knsas City Scouts before joining the Vancouver Blazers of the WHA in 1974. Between 1974 and 1978, Butch played 255 games in the WHA with Calgary, Minnesota, Edmonton and Cincinatii. He retired from professional hockey at the end of the 1977/78 season.

Butch currently resides in Calgary.