The Prince George Sports Hall of Fame has a canoeist, Bruce Hawkenson, in its membership. It also has a speed skater, Neal Marshall.
The hall is about to add a man who has excelled in both sports.
During a P.G. Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet on Saturday night, international-calibre paddler and skater Lyle Dickieson will be welcomed into the exclusive club.
"It's an incredible honour to be selected for such a thing," said the 56-year-old Dickieson.
"And my sports, they're both kind of a bit odd-ball compared to the main stuff. Mind you, the hall of fame is good that way. They look at lots of sports, other than the hockey and the baseball and the football."
As a paddler, Dickieson is known mostly for his achievements in the whitewater variety of the sport. He was part of Canada's whitewater freestyle canoe team from 1995 to 1999, and, three times, represented his country at the world championships. His results at worlds were impressive -- fourth in 1995 in Germany (which he considers at career highlight), third in 1997 in Ottawa and seventh in 1999 in New Zealand.
Dickieson, who organized regional races like the Voyager Cup and Willow River Whitewater Rodeo, gets a charge out of the fact he'll join Hawkenson in the hall of fame.
"Bruce, I've known him for many years," said Dickieson, who also teaches canoeing. "Our paddling circles are different, as he's more a flatwater racer and I'm more the whitewater guy, but it's still pretty neat. We're both out there in the early, early spring, training and doing our stuff. We sort of cross paths down at Cottonwood Island Park."
Dickieson didn't strap on his speed skating blades until he was in his late-40s. As a guy who has trouble with his knees, he found that pushing and gliding on ice was a perfect, pain-free way to stay active in the winter months. His athletic abilities spilled over into his new sport and he went on to win B.C., Canadian and North American championships in various distances. Internationally, Dickieson competed in the world masters long track championships in 2007 and 2011 and posted top-20 results both times.
Given all of the connections Dickieson has made in canoeing and speed skating over the years, it's no surprise he'll have his own cheering section at the induction banquet. In his estimation -- and much to his delight -- 40 to 50 of his biggest fans will be in attendance.
"It's inspiring to have that kind of support," he said. "I think to get anywhere in a sport, you really have to set some goals and kind of be public about it. As soon as you do, then all of those friends and family members and supporters, they all know that, OK, you're heading for this, you're going for that, and all of a sudden it really makes you work hard for it.
"And it just amazes me that people are traveling from Calgary and Vancouver and from the Island and from all around to come [to the banquet]. That's a pretty tough sell -- to get people to come to Prince George at the end of March."
And no, Dickieson didn't have to pay for all those tickets himself.
"I picked them up, but most everybody is bucking up," he said with a laugh. "It's the whole thing of being the starving amateur athlete. If it was Mark Messier or somebody, then he could probably buy for everybody."
The banquet is being held at the Hart Community Centre. The doors will open at 6 p.m. and dinner will start at 7 p.m.
Other new Prince George Sports Hall of Fame inductees are Sylvia Hausot (judo athlete), David Jenkins (lacrosse coach), Dale McMann (softball coach) and Niilo Itkonen (cross-country skiing builder). As well, twelve youth excellence awards will be presented.
Banquet tickets are available until 5 p.m. today at Northern Food Equipment, located at 495 Second Ave.
