What many people do not realize is the amount of athletes that have been born and raised in Vancouver, and have gone to have very successful careers in their respectful sports leagues and associations. As a city that is dominated by hockey, and has its population being some of the most active in all of Canada, it is no surprise that Vancouver has produced some of Canada’s most decorated and worldwide known athletes not just in hockey, but other sports such as basketball, tennis, and baseball. Here is a list of some of the athletes that were either born, or raised in Vancouver we made with the help of Wikipedia.
1. Steve Nash
Stephen John “Steve” Nash was born on February 7th, 1974 in Johannesburg, South Africa. When he was 18 months old his family moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, and shortly after moved to Victoria, British Columbia. At an early age Steve Nash took up many different sports such as hockey, soccer, and of course the sport he ended up dominated for quite some time, basketball. In his senior year at St. Michaels University School, Nash averaged 21.3 points, 11.2 assists, and 9.1 rebounds per game. That same year he led his team to the AAA provincial championship title on his way to capturing MVP honors. After attending Santa Clara University, Steve Nash was drafted 15th overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 1996 draft.
Struggling to find enough playing time behind all-star point guard Jason Kidd, Nash was traded in 1998 to the Dallas Mavericks for Martin Müürsepp, Bubba Wells, the draft rights to Pat Garrity and a first-round draft pick. Nash’s best season yet came in 2001-2002 when he averaged 17.9 ppg, and 7.7 apg, earning his first ever all-star appearance. After the 2003-2004 season Nash became a free agent, and with Dallas Mavericks owner hesitant to sign Steve Nash, the Phoenix Suns swooped in and signed Nash to a 6 year $63 million dollar contract, and the rest is history. In Phoenix Steve Nash established himself as one of the top point guards to ever play the game, while exciting crowds with Mike D’antoni’s fast paced offense which was feared around the entire league. In his second time with Phoenix Nash won back to back MVP’s and formed one of the most effective pick and roll games with all-star power forward Amare Stoudemire.
Currently Steve Nash plays with the Los Angeles Lakers and when his legendary career comes to a close, there will be a spot waiting for “Kid Canada” in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
2. Jason Garrison
Born and raised in White Rock, British Columbia on November 13th, 1984, Jason John Maxwell Garrison is a professional hockey player, recently playing 2 seasons for his hometown Vancouver Canucks before being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning this past offseason.
Standing 6’2 and weighing 220 pounds, Garrison plays Defence, and packs one of the hardest shots the NHL has to offer. Garrison played 2 years of Junior A hockey away from home with the Nanaimo Clippers in the British Columbia Hockey League. During his time with the Clippers, Jason earned a scholarship to go play hockey at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. After playing 3 years in Minnesota, Jason was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2008 by the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League. During his 4 years in Florida, Garrison set franchise records in single season goals, and power play goals by a defenceman. Shortly after Garrison was signed by the Vancouver Canucks in 2012 to a 6 year deal.
On the international stage, Jason Garrison recently represented Canada at the IIHF World Championships recording 4 assists in 7 games, helping Canada finish in 5th place. In his spare time Jason enjoys playing rugby, and snowboarding. Currently Jason is dating actress Katie Cassidy from the hit TV series Arrow which is shown on CW.
3. Bob Lenarduzzi
Robert Italo “Bob” Lenarduzzi was born May 1st 1955 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Robert is a former North American Soccer League star, and former coach of the Canadian national and Olympic soccer teams. He is currently the President of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Robert’s playing career started when he was just 15 years old when he played for Reading in the English Football league appearing in 67 games and scored 2 goals during his time with the team. During his playing career Bob primarily played midfielder and defender. In 1974 Robert also joined the Vancouver Whitecaps of the NASL splitting his time between the 2 clubs. In the winter he would play with Reading, and in the Summer he would play for Vancouver. Robert played 11 seasons with the Whitecaps until the league crumpled in 1984. During his time with the Whitecaps, Robert holds the record for the most games played in the NASL with 312 games played.
Robert also represented Canada on the pitch on the international stage suiting up for 47 games, and was a part of the 1984 team that reached the quarterfinals during the Summer Olympics. His coaching career began in 1987 as he took on the role of player/coach of the Vancouver 86ers of the new Canadian Soccer league and retired as a player in 1988. He led the 86ers to 4 consecutive CSL titles from 1988 to 1991. He was also responsible for setting the record for professional North American sports teams when the team went 46 games unbeaten between June 6, 1988 and August 8, 1989. Some honors of Mr. Lenarduzzi include being Some honors of Mr. Lenarduzzi include being inducted as a player into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2001, and receiving the Order of British Columbia in 2005.
4. Joe Sakic
Joseph Steven Sakic was born in Burnaby, British Columbia on July 7, 1969. He spent 21 years playing in the National Hockey League with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise. Sakic was named team captain in 1992, previously holding the title of co-captain in the 1990-1991 NHL season.
Looking back at some of the great leaders in the NHL, Sakic is regarded as one of the best team leaders and motivators ever to don a NHL jersey and that was evident when he led the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996 and 2001, winning both times successfully. On his way to leading the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup Championship in 1996, Sakic was awarded the MVP award of the playoffs. Born to Croatian parents Marijan and Slavika Sakic, Joe first fell in love with the game of hockey when he was 4 years old when he attended an NHL game between the Vancouver Canucks and Atlanta Flames.
Being a rather small player standing only 5’11 he relied mostly on his skills and his skills were on full display right from the beginning when he scored 83 goals and 156 points in only 80 games at Burnaby North Secondary. Shortly after he was added to the Lethbridge Broncos of the WHL. During the 1986-1987, when the team relocated to Swift Current, Saskatchewan and were renamed the Swift Current Broncos, Sakic was named WHL Rookie of the Year notching 60 goals and 73 assists. Sakic was drafted 15th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in 1987, but decided to stay one more year in Swift Current to prepare for the upcoming NHL season and played his first NHL game during the 1988-1989 season recording 1 assist against the Hartford Whalers. His 1st NHL goal came a few nights later against the New Jersey Devils beating goalie Sean Burk.
Joe retired from the NHL with 625 goals, and 1641 points making him one of the highest scoring forwards in league history. Joe Sakic leaves behind a legacy of leadership, and humbleness both on and off the ice. Joe Sakic and his wife Debbie have three children: son Mitchell, born in 1996, and fraternal twins; son Chase and daughter Kamryn, born in October 2000. The impact Joe Sakic has had on his local community of Burnaby has meant so much that the city of Burnaby that a street has been named Joe Sakic way and you will often hear around Canada Joe being referred to as “Burnaby Joe”.
5. Jessica Hewitt
Jessica Hewitt, born on September 10th, 1986 in Langley, British Columbia is a Canadian short track speed skater. She has won 3 medals in her career, the latest being a silver medal in the 3000m race at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia. She has also won 2 medals at the World Championships; Winning silver in the 3000m race in Debrecen, Hungary in 2013, and in 2011 won a bronze medal again in the same event this time in Sheffield, England.
Her career took off at the young ripe age of 10 when she first started training with the Kamloops Long Blades, and in 2006 she moved to Calgary so she could train at the Olympic oval. With all the hard word, and training she put in Jessica made the Canadian National Team in 2008. 2009 was a big year for Jessica as she was able to place 8th in the 500m, 12th in the 1000m, and 8th again at the 1500m at the Olympic qualifiers held in Vancouver British Columbia. She was able to prove to not just herself, but the entire world, that she is able to compete with some of the best athletes her sport has to offer. She is one of 2 children to parents Gary and Shelley Hewitt. If her last Olympics were any indications of things to come in the future, Jessica has a very bright future ahead of herself, and she is definitely making the 604 very proud of her.
6. Milan Lucic
Lucic was born in East Vancouver to Dobrivoje Lučić and Snežana Kesa. His father, a longshoreman, emigrated from Yugoslavia when he was 27, while his mother arrived from Yugoslavia with her family at the age of two. He has a younger brother named Nikola and an older brother named Jovan. His maternal uncle, Dan Kesa, is a retired NHL right winger who played for the Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Dallas Stars.
Growing up, Lucic attended Killarney Secondary in Vancouver. He was a fan of the hometown Vancouver Canucks and has singled out power forward Todd Bertuzzi as one of his favourite players when following the team.
Lucic played minor hockey (VMHA) in Vancouver, but nearly quit the sport after being passed up in the 2003 WHL Bantam Draft.[9] He was invited to play for the Coquitlam Express of the Junior A British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), but was further demoralized when he initially failed to make the team out of rookie camp. He agreed to play, instead, for the Junior B Delta Ice Hawks, but later played his way onto the Express after five games.
7. Paul Kariya
PaulKariya is a former professional ice hockey winger born and raised in Vancouver.
Known as a skilled and fast-skating offensive player, he played in the NHL for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues.
Internationally, Kariya represented Canada on numerous stages and at different levels. He won gold at the 1993 World Junior Championships, his second appearance at the tournament. He made his first appearance at the Winter Olympics in 1994 as an amateur, winning silver. Eight years later, he helped Canada win gold at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. In between Olympic appearances, he won gold and silver at the 1994 and 1996 World Championships, respectively.
8. Harry Jerome
Born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, he moved to North Vancouver at age 12. Harry made a name for himself as a Canadian track and field runner.
After retiring from athletics in 1969, he was invited by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to help create Canada’s new Ministry of Sport.
You can find a statue of Harry Jerome in Stanley Park.
Is there anyone you would add to our Athletes Born and Raised In Metro Vancouver list? Let us know by commenting below!
photo credit: iamthenewme
