Dennis Eckert grew up in Victoria where he excelled in Little League Baseball at Hampton Park. In his early twenties he switched to competitive Fastball and played in the Stuffy McGinnis League and later for the Victoria Budget and Royals teams. He also played in Alberta.
His career in Fastpitch spanned twenty years and he was known as one of the dominant hitters in the world. In 1983, Dennis was integral in helping the Victoria Budget Sr A team win a Gold medal at the BC Provincials and Canadian Championships. At the Canadian Championships, Dennis was the top batter with an .875 average - a record which still stands today. In 1986, Dennis played Sr B and won a North American Fastball Association Championship and dominated the Western Canadians winning Gold in 1992 and 1993.
Overall, Dennis played in six Senior A Canadian Championships, 11 Senior A Provincial Championships, one North American Fastball Association Championship, and two Masters Provincial and Western Canadian Championships. His personal accomplishments include Pacific Northwest 7 time All-Star, Senior A Canadian Championship All-Star and Top Batter, Senior A Canadian Championship MVP, International Softball Tournament All-Star, and North American Fastball Association World Tournament All-Star.
In 1999, Dennis was inducted into the Alberta Softball Sports Hall of Fame and in 2020, he was inducted to the BC Softball Sports Hall of Fame.
Liz started riding ponies at 9 years old, and rose through the ranks representing Canada in show jumping. She went on to attain multiple international titles, and by 1972 rose to a 3rd ranking in the world. She switched disciplines from show jumping to eventing winning a Team Silver medal at the 1975 Pan American Games. In 1976, Equine Canada named Liz “Canadian Horsewoman of the Year” and in 1978 she was Captain of Canada’s Gold medal winning team at the World Championships. She also represented Canada at two Olympic Games.
Liz helped pioneer Canada’s Equestrian Coaching Certification Program, served as the Athlete Representative on the Canadian Olympic Committee and was Director of the Canadian Equestrian Team. In 1992, the Governor General presented Liz with the prestigious 125th Anniversary of the Confederation Medal in recognition of her contributions to Canadian sport.
Liz also had a notable academic career and completed her PhD in Education Administration at the University of Texas. In 1994, she was appointed President of Camosun College and under her vision, the Pacific Institute for Sports Excellence was created.
Liz sat on numerous community boards including President of the Victoria 2000 Summer Games. She received numerous awards for her service including the Queen Elizabeth Golden Jubilee medal, Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Royal Roads University, and the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers.
