The Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame has announced another round of 2026 inductees after a news release earlier this week – honoring one team, and recognizing a society that has played a pivotal part in supporting community sports.
The 1980 Senior Women’s volleyball team, the Kamloops Turbulence, become the 29th team inducted into the Hall.
As well, The Kamloops Sports Legacy Fund Society, founded following the sale of the Kamloops Blazers in 2007, is being recognized for its support of amateur sport in Kamloops and the surrounding region.
The Kamloops Turbulence and the Kamloops Sports Legacy Fund will join the already announced Olympian speed skater Jessica Hewitt, International softball and baseball umpire Kelly Hunter, and longtime football coach Glenn Armstrong, in the class of 2026.
Kamloops Turbulence
The Kamloops Turbulence was formed in 1980 by a group of women who decided to enter a team in the B.C. Women’s Senior ‘A’ Volleyball League.
The ten women, with varied backgrounds in playing volleyball, were coached by Rocky Hudson and Jim Bottoms.
They captured the provincial title in March that year in Vancouver.
The Turbulence won all eight matches, dropping just two sets. The next month at the Western Canadian Championships in Edmonton, the Turbulence didn’t drop a set in winning all five matches.
Later in April, the team won the Can-Am Pacific Northwest Volleyball Tournament in Vancouver, winning all six matches against teams from Portland, Seattle and Vancouver.
Kamloops Sports Legacy Fund
The Kamloops Sports Legacy Fund is designed as a perpetual, community-based endowment that was established following the sale of the community owned Kamloops Blazers to River City Hockey.
The fund was established through the $6.1 million sale of the hockey franchise and an additional $1.4 million following the dissolution of the Blazers Foundation in 2008.
The fund invests in amateur sport organizations in Kamloops and the surrounding region through the annual issuance of grants to benefit these organizations and their members.
Since initiating grant distributions in 2009, the fund has dispersed more than $6 million to more than 130 organizations.
This includes equipment purchases, capital improvements, coaching development, and athletic scholarships.
It supports programs such as KidSport, Pacific Sport Interior BC, Thompson Rivers University athletics, adaptive and inclusive sport programs, youth development and facility enhancements.
Funds are allocated based on the previous year’s return on the investment of the Legacy Fund, the capital of which is to be maintained to perpetuity.
The 2026 Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame Induction ceremony will take place on April 11, 2026 at Coast Kamloops Hotel and Conference Centre
