Inductees

Gale Russell (2003)

Soccer Coach,Builder/Administrator

Gale Russell has never played a game of soccer. For more than 20 years, however, his boundless energy and dedication has helped the sport grow and prosper in Prince George.

Russell, current chairman of the Prince George Youth Soccer Association, first became involved in soccer when he was president of the Quinson Community Association. He helped kick-start an indoor soccer program for kids, many of whom went on to play at the college or university level in future years.

Russell joined the fledgling PGYSA in the early 1980s as a coach in the house division. With no practical experience as a player, he began taking all the coaching clinics he could find. Russell moved on to coach at the all-star level and, in that capacity, led two boys teams and one girls team to provincial titles. In total, Russell’s coaching involvement stretched from 1980 to 1998.

During those years, Russell was not just on the sidelines, he was on the field as a referee and in the PGYSA office as a member of the board of directors. He was first elected to the board in 1986 and served for the next 11 years. As a vice-chairman and then chairman, Russell laid the groundwork for the PGYSA’s mini program, which brought the game to the youngest players in the city. He also coordinated the all-star program, which is now among the strongest in the province, and helped get a girls program up and running.

Russell has also served on numerous soccer committees, both youth and adult.

On the youth side, he used his vision to help make Rotary Fields, the current home of the PGYSA, a reality. Russell was also a force in bringing the Rocky Mountain Cup provincial tournament to Prince George, as well as the Girls Under-15 and Under-17 All-star Nationals in 2001.

On the adult side of the game, Russell has been a director for the B.C. Indoor Soccer League, as well as a committee member for the annual Blackburn Cup women’s tournament and the Prince George Invitational men’s tournament. With outdoor soccer, he served as a liaison between the City of Prince George and the two local adult leagues – the Prince George Women’s Soccer Association and the North Cariboo Senior Soccer League.

Russell, re-elected PGYSA chairman in 1997, has also been a strong voice of youth soccer for the northern part of the province and has helped several of the city’s young players realize scholarship opportunities in the United States. For his efforts Russell has received numerous awards, some of which include the PGYSA President’s Cup, the City of Prince George Volunteer Award of Merit and the B.C. Soccer Award of Merit.

Russell, a local resident since 1967, is simply passionate about soccer. A conversation with him about the game and its potential in Prince George is never a short one. For his leadership, enthusiasm and relentless pursuit of soccer excellence, Russell is a deserving inductee as a coach and builder into the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame.