The Nanaimo Museum is recognizing four people for their contributions to local sports by inducting them into the Sports Hall of Fame.
Since launching the Nanaimo Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, 45 people have been inducted.
On Friday, four people were given the honour. Two were recognized as athletes and two as builders — which are coaches, officials, administrators, patrons or sports medicine practitioners that brought recognition or honour to Nanaimo and made a significant contribution.
The museum is hosting an induction gala on Feb. 23 to honour the four recipients.
Athletes
Lauren van Oosten and Sandy Harper are the two athletes being recognized.
Van Oosten is a swimmer who was born in Nanaimo and had a career that took her to competitions in Japan, U.S.A., Greece, and Australia. She competed for Canada’s Olympic team in 2004 in Athens.
She also previously held a national record for the women’s 200 m breaststroke.
Harper is a golfer who started at the Nanaimo Golf and Country Club at the age of 12. He has competed in both the amateur and professional levels and was the only player to win all B.C. Major Championships at both levels.
After suffering a stroke, he returned to playing golf in 2020 and has since won the BCGA Senior and Super Senior Amateur Championships.
Builders
Bob Gold and Leo Beier are both recognized as builders, and both are being recognized posthumously.
Gold was born to a Nanaimo family that was well known for their involvement in sports. He began coaching early on and was known for being a teacher who emphasized teamwork.
He served as the president of Nanaimo Minor Baseball and founded the Nanaimo Umpires Association to help develop young umpires.
Gold introduced the “Fair Play” code to Nanaimo Minor Baseball and made headlines in 2001 for his work to address harassment of young hockey officials.
His father, Jim Gold, has also been inducted to the Nanaimo Sports Hall of Fame.
Beier became head referee of the District Juvenile Soccer Association in the 1960s and later served as the president.
He was instrumental in bringing women’s soccer to Vancouver Island and developed teams like the 1981 Nanaimo Tigers and 1993 Vancouver Island University Mariner’s women’s team.
He co-founded a youth indoor futsal program in 1980 and supported the program as an event organizer and coach.
Beier was known as a passionate, hardworking and respected soccer coach.
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Laura Brougham
