For the last five to seven years, Glen "Moose" Scott has repeatedly told people, "this is my last year in lacrosse."
But something always comes up.
Like founding a new league or a tournament.
Like being commissioner of the Prince George Senior Lacrosse Association, a post he's held for 24 years.
But when you're involved in Canada's national summer sport for more than 30 years and share your love of the game with your family which have followed in your footsteps, it's hard to give it up.
"I keep saying it's my last year, but my daughters said to me, 'what do you mean, you've got two grandsons who are four or five years out from playing senior lacrosse, we can't see you stopping now,'" said Scott.
"When you host tournaments... and more and more youngsters are going into minor lacrosse, so no, I won't stop."
Scott will be inducted into the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame tonight under the builders/administrator category, along with seven other athletes and coaches at a ceremony at the Hart Community Centre.
When the call came from the hall, Scott couldn't believe he had received the nod.
"I was quite flabbergasted and taken aback," he said.
"I've gone to a lot of Sports Hall of Fame dinners and very appreciative of those who are in it. Never in a million years did I think I'd be inducted. I was kind of speechless. It's quite an honour and a thrill. Like a lot of people you don't get involved in the sport to get recognized. You do it because of the love of the game."
His love of the game began at an early age when his friends with the Western Lacrosse Association's Vancouver Burrards introduced him to the sport. While he never played in the Lower Mainland, he did eventually pick up the stick when he arrived in Prince George.
He spent eight seasons on the floor with the North Central Lacrosse Association, tallying seven goals, 19 assists and 792 penalty minutes.
After that it somehow vanished in Prince George, but Scott got involved at the administrative level with the B.C. Lacrosse Association.
In 1988, Prince George hosted the B.C. Masters Lacrosse championship with four teams - the Vernon Electric 1 Plus 2; the Coquitlam Adanacs, Vancouver Burrards and one team from Prince George, the Labatts Blues.
The success of that tournament rekindled the sport in Prince George and the BCLA came calling again soon after.
The Vernon Tigers wanted to challenge for the B.C. senior B Championship and the BCLA asked Scott to form a local team so the two senior teams could play a four-game exhibition series.
The Prince George squad was short of players and the first two were played in Vernon which the North Okanagan squad won handily.
When the series resumed in Prince George, and armed with enough players, Vernon won Game 3 12-10 and Game 4 resulted in a 11-11 tie.
The success of that series planted the seeds of the Prince George Senior Lacrosse Association in 1990. A year later, play began and it's now in its 24th season, with Scott at the helm as league commissioner.
The PGSLA is a senior C league, and is one of the most respected leagues in the province.
Over the years, it has been home to thousands of recreational players, with many of them advancing through the ranks to higher levels such as the U.S. college-level NCAA and National Lacrosse League.
"So many have played lacrosse and learned lacrosse here in Prince George," said Scott.
"It's exciting that they go on to the college level. For the kids and young adults, if we can help them achieve greater success, that's all you need."
To help minor players bridge the gap into the senior level, Scott helped create the Cariboo Central Intermediate Lacrosse League that begins play in its inaugural season May 3, 4.
The three teams, made up of 17 to 18-year-olds from Prince George, Quesnel and Mackenzie, will play eight games throughout the season.
"There is a great need for young adults who are graduating out of midget and are intimidated by the speed, and hard-hitting by senior lacrosse," said Scott. "This fills the void and they'll take two more years to develop the skills, size and strength they need. There are tremendous lacrosse players here and we want to showcase them."
Along with Ron Edgar, Scott co-founded the Alcan Cup Canadian Senior Lacrosse championship 13 years ago. It's now known as the Treasure Cove Casino Senior Invitational that travels the province. Prince George will host it this summer Aug. 15, 17.
Scott, Edgar and others have brought professional lacrosse to Prince George too, with three exhibition games staged at the CN Centre.
In 2001, the NLL's Vancouver Ravens battled the Calgary Roughnecks in a pre-season match-up. They wielded their sticks again in 2003 and, in 2004, the Ravens played the Toronto Rock.
Scott's love of the sport has been passed down to his family too.
His wife Patricia is a scorekeeper; his son is a senior lacrosse goalie; one of his grandsons plays senior lacrosse; two grandsons are in the minor system and his second oldest daughter is president of the Quesnel Lacrosse Association.
Scott downplays that he's known has Mr. Lacrosse, insisting he couldn't do it without the help of others.
"You don't climb to the summit without great people helping along the way," he said.
"There are tremendous people on the executive who are too numerous to mention which makes it very satisfying. There are a lot of great people in the sport."
Other inductees entering the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame tonight are:
Gibby Chase (powerlifting); Ed Day (cross-country skiing); Pat Harris (wheelchair basketball); Dave Wood (cross-country skiing); Jason LaBarbera (hockey); John Pettersen (cross-country skiing); and Bjorger Pettersen (cross-country skiing).
