Roland Green would ride whatever he could get his hands on as a teen. After showing promise in various bike races, he took to competitive road racing in 1991. His career took off in 1993, when he won the world junior gold medal in Abitibi, Quebec.

After five years riding speed bikes, he switched to mountain biking. He won several Canada Cup races and the national title in 1996, and placed fourth in an under-23 world championship race. In 1998, his first full year on the World Cup cross-country circuit, he finished 66th overall. He improved to 33rd and wound up 10th in 2000, the year he placed second at the World championships.

That was his coming out. He dominated cross-country through 2003, winning UCI World Cup titles in 2001 and 2002 and Commonwealth Games gold in 2002. His last Canadian mountain bike title came in 2003, and after 15 seasons he retired from competition in 2005.

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Not all good players turn into great coaches, but Gary Johnston managed to pull off the career double in rugby.

His formative years playing the sport were in the same neighbourhood: Gordon Head schools, Oak Bay Wanderers and finally the University of Victoria. In 1974 he connected with the club that has been his home ever since - James Bay Athletic Association. Johnston won seven B.C. titles with the Bays through 1981 and represented B.C. and Canada internationally.

He began coaching in 1972, first at the high school level, and later in tandem with JBAA and B.C. junior teams. He founded the annual Boot Game between his Oak Bay Barbarians and St. Michaels, and won six B.C. rugby titles with the Barbs.

In the 1980s, he coached B.C. junior and senior teams to national crowns and coached both national teams during that decade. Mostly retired since 2003, his understanding of the game continues to make him a valuable resource around any rugby pitch.

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