From Grey Cup championships to growing the game of softball, the 2024 Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame (COSHOF) indictees are a star-studded cast.
On Tuesday, June 18, the Class of 2024 was announced at the Okanagan Heritage Museum, with five new members set to be inducted this November. The five are:
Jack Hoy - Builder
Already in the BC Sports Hall of Fame, Hoy joins the COSHOF for his outstanding basketball career. After playing for UBC and for Team Canada at the World University Games in 1970, Hoy coached the Kelowna Secondary School (KSS) Owls to two top-four provincial finishes in six seasons. He went on to be the director of the Western Canadian Basketball Tournament for 25 years. During that time, he added the 3-point contest and dunk competition as events during the tournament.
Jason and Mike Crumb - Athletes
The brothers both played for the Okanagan Sun and in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Mike and Jason won the Grey Cup as teammates in 2000 with the B.C. Lions. Four years later, Mike won a second championship with Toronto, beating his younger brother.
During Jason's time with the Sun, he was the league's most outstanding quarterback in 1993.
Joni Frei - Coach/Builder
Frei has been coaching softball for more than 20 years, including winning gold with Team BC in the North American Indigenous Games in 2014 and 2023. She also coached the UBCO Heat to a collegiate championship in 2021 and the Langford Lightning to Canadian Championships in 2022 and '23. Additionally, she founded the East Africa-Canadian Exhibition Series.
Dan Martell - Builder
In 1985, Martell received the Award of Merit from the Canadian Curling Association for all he's done for the game. He's coached teams to provincial, national and international titles. Included in those is coaching a visually impaired team to seven championships.
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As the inductees were named, they would say a few words, all of them honoured to be named to the hall.
"This is a surprise and a huge honour, totally unexpected," said Hoy. "You don't do this sort of thing without the help of so many people. My dad taught me a good lesson, he said 'If you make a commitment to something, you don't quit, you stick with it'," said Hoy. "I guess that stuck with me for 25 years."
Mike Crumb said you don't get a spot like this without help along the way.
"It took a second for it to sink in," said Mike Crumb. "When you play a sport, you don't think about getting into a hall. You play to win a championship."
Frei wasn't able to attend the ceremony on Tuesday but her mom, Karen read a statement from her in her honour.
"This recognition is not just a personal achievement, it is a testament to the unwavering support and inspiration from my family, friends, coaches, mentors, and teammates," said Karen.
When Martell was announced as an inductee, COSHOF manager Pat Kennedy joked that Martell is one of the pillars holding up the roof at the Kelowna Curling Club.
The five of them will officially be inducted into the COSHOF at the 17th annual induction ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 7 a.m. at Manteo at the Eldorado Resort.
