Longtime trainer Wallace to be honoured as Kamloops Blazers Legend
Kamloops, BC – The Kamloops Blazers will be honouring former long-time Athletic Trainer and Equipment Manager, Greg ‘Spike’ Wallace, as a Kamloops Blazers Legend in a ceremony prior to a home game on Wednesday, January 4 against the Everett Silvertips.
Spike was the Athletic Trainer and Equipment Manager from 1984 until 2005. He then moved into the position as Community Liaison until his retirement from the Blazers in 2012.
The Kamloops native was an integral part of five WHL Championship teams and three Memorial Cup winning teams over his tenure with the hockey club.
In 2012, Wallace was recognized as a recipient of the WHL Distinguished Service Award, which is presented annually to an individual associated with the WHL who has made an extraordinary contribution over an extended period of time at the Club or League level.
Over Spike’s time, it is believed he sharpened approximately 35,000 skates, went through 575 pairs of skates for players, had over 2300 dozen sticks used along with 18,000 pucks!
There will be a commemorative puck giveaway with a picture of Spike sponsored by Bry’s Automotive & Customs.
A message from Greg ‘Spike’ Wallace:
This is a great day for the Kamloops Blazers organization and for hockey in general as recognition of an Athletic Trainer/Equipment Technician is absolutely unique, and I am very proud and grateful to the Blazers Ownership Group, the Alumni, and the 2022 Blazers staff to be receiving this great honour. I would like to give a special thank you to Trainer Colin Robinson for his support, and to my family who have supported me throughout my entire journey.
To be “inducted” is very special, but to join the ‘retired numbers’, the ‘Legends’, the WHL red ‘Champion Team’ banners, and the Memorial Cup banners hanging in the rafters is very humbling. Also, many volunteers have contributed to this organization’s success, so a heartfelt thank you must go out to the medical teams, my faithful assistant Pete Friedel, the Scouts, stick boys, and of course to the Booster Club and the many other Blazer fans.
I believe that before individual praise can be bestowed, success as a team is uppermost. To this end the Blazers have developed many excellent players, and just as importantly, role models for the communities they have returned to.
Transferring into the Community Service Liaison position allowed me to work closely with the Booster Club and fans – both adults and children- with some of our strongest programs being Special Olympians, Blue Liner Breakfasts, school visits, Seniors, and ‘Tim Bits’
(In the beginning, my career may not have ever taken place if it were not for my school buddy Ken Ciancone and fellow Valleyview Jr. high school football players who convinced their coach, the late Jack Buckham, and Rick Nykorak at Kamloops Sr. high that I would be a good fit for their football programs as their ‘waterboy’!)
I am looking forward to the celebration on January 4!
The Blazers will play again during the holiday break on Friday, December 30th against the Prince George Cougars. To purchase tickets, call the Kamloops Blazers Box Office at 250-828-3339 or they can also be purchased online at this link.
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