On August 24, 1960 in Sudbury, Ontario the world welcomed the arrival of Ilario Enrico Pasquale, better known as Eli in the basketball community. His first introduction to the sport was in Grade 8 at St. Francis School in the predominantly Italian neighborhood of Gatchell. By Grade 10 Eli had grown to 5' 3" and had developed an abiding passion and exceptional skills for the game at which he would come to excel.

By the time Eli arrived at the University of Victoria he was 6'1" and under the tutelage of coach, Ken Shields, he starred as the point guard for five years. The university team won five straight CIAU championships and Eli stood out as the all-time leading scorer. He was named to the CIAU all-star team three times.

Eli was a prominent member of the 1983 World University Games team that won the gold medal. They defeated the US team led by Charles Barkley and Karl Malone in the semi-finals, and then went on to win the final against Yugoslavia led by Drazen Petrovic.

Eli played for the Canadian Junior National team and went to Brazil for the World Junior Championships where the team won the gold medal. He was a member of the Canadian Men's National team at various levels over 15 years. He led them to a fourth place finish at both the 1984 Summer Olympics and 1982 FIBA World Championships. At age 37, after a five-year absence, he returned to the national team to play in the 1997 Tournament of the Americas to help the Canadians qualify for the 1998 FIBA World Championship.

Eli was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics 106th overall in the 5th round of the 1984 NBA draft, but only played in three exhibition games before being released. Later, he played in the Amateur Athletic Union for Seattle and the Los Angeles summer pro league. His professional career included playing for teams in Argentina in 1986, West Germany in 1989 and Switzerland in 1990.

In 1986 Eli set up the Eli Pasquale Group Inc. that was designed to work with all the recreational centres and School Districts in Greater Victoria. He started the Eli Pasquale Champion Academy and organized basketball programs and clinics for grades 6 and up. In the years since, he has helped thousands of youngsters in the sport of basketball.

In recognition of his superlative career, he has been inducted into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame (2003), the B.C. Basketball Hall of Fame (2004), the University of Victoria Sports Hall of Fame (2005) and the Sudbury Ontario Sports Hall of Fame (2008).

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There are few athletes in the world who can be described as legends in their own time. Stan is one of them. In 2006,Black Belt Magazine featured him as the fourth toughest man on the planet. In 2012, "Stan the Steamer" made history by being only the third man and first Canadian to fight professionally for five decades.

Stan's start in the world of martial arts was a matter of self defense. He was 15 and living in Port Alberni where an older and larger kid tormented him. He commented:

"I was bullied by that kid for two or three years. When I look back at it, he probably had the crappiest life going and he took it out on me. But he made life a living hell for me, so I went to this karate school. I didn't care for the arts side of it. I told the instructor, 'I'm here to learn how to pound the tar out of the guy.' He told me I couldn't join unless I did it all."

And he did. The lessons took care of the bullying problem and his life in the world of martial arts was set in motion. It's one that has allowed him to travel the world, often competing for his country, and has introduced him to the legends of martial arts, a distinguished group of which he has become an illustrious member.

Stan's accomplishments include Canadian Super Welterweight Kickboxing Champion (1986), WKA World Junior Middleweight Kickboxing Champion (1987-88), and WKA World Middleweight Karate Champion (1994-95). Stan has fought in more than 1000 competitive martial arts championships in the last 40 years and he was awarded most outstanding male competitor numerous times.

At a critical point in his career he made a trip to Thailand that rekindled his interest to get back in the ring. At that point he knew from sparring that he still had the skills. The question was more of body. He commented in a newspaper article:

"I spar for one day and I'm sore for three. The mind wants to do it and the heart wants to do it, but the body doesn't. The only thing it's fighting right now is arthritis."

Over the years, in recognition of his abilities and accomplishments, Stan has been sought out by elite forces and individuals including the Israeli Special Forces, Spetznaz Russian Special Forces, Allied Special Forces, Jim Harrison (Navy SEAL Instructor and Martial Arts Hall of Famer) and the L.A.P.D. SWAT Team.

As well as his incredible athletic career, Stan is proud of the number of internationally acclaimed champions he has trained and coached. Among them are Donny Lalonde, World Lightweight Boxing Champion; Forest Brawaski, Canadian Heavyweight Boxing Champion; and Gabriel Varga, Amateur World Kickboxing Champion.

Stan has also had direct involvement in the opening of Martial Arts Schools in Victoria including the Crusher Combat School, Curtis Lee's Offence Club, Final Round Boxing and Martial Arts, Studio 4 Athletics, Columbia Martial Arts and his eponymous Peterec's Martial Arts Centre.

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