Port Moody's Rich Chambers is known well for his enormous energy and constant court-side chatter as a basketball coach. He never sounded more subdued as he did Monday.
"I'm getting old, I'm an old man," the diminutive 62-year-old told The Tri-City News regarding his induction Saturday into the Basketball BC Hall of Fame.
Chambers was one of six 2013 Hall inductees, who included former Port Coquitlam resident Tim Frick, who's best known for his longstanding coaching career on Canada Basketball's wheelchair teams, which have won seven gold medals combined in the Paralympics and World Championships under his tutelage.
Few, however, have put in as much sideline time on the hardwood as Chambers, who coached the Centennial Centaurs senior boys high school team for 17 years and Moody Junior boys for two before spending the next 21 at Terry Fox secondary. For the most part at the latter, he joined forces with Don Van Os to co-coach, as which the Ravens won back-to-back B.C. AAA championships in 1993 and '94. His Centaurs also finished provincial runners-up in 1985, as did the Ravens under his head-coaching guidance in 2000.
Most recently, Chambers served as head coach for the University of Victoria Vikes women's squad and previously had stints with the UBC Thunderbirds and SFU Clan.
The ever-humble Chambers said he was touched to be included with the many greats over the years who have been enshrined in the B.C. hoops hall.
"It's a very prestigious honour to be included with people who have such tremendous things in the sport," he said. "It's wonderful to be in there with them."
Having coached numerous provincial and national squads, Chambers will do so against when he guides Canada's national junior (Under-19) women's unit at the world championships July 18-28 in Lithuania. And, for the first time in his illustrious prep coaching career, he will a senior girls high school team when he steers the lady Ravens next winter.
"I'll need a psychiatrist for that," Chambers said laughingly. "Actually, [the girls] will need a psychiatrist."
Three others with Tri-City connections were also recognized Saturday when the annual Basketball B.C. awards were handed out. Former Dr. Charles Best secondary standout Sam Freeman of the Fraser Valley Cascades was chosen Top Male University Player, while ex-Gleneagle Talons high school star Amonda Francis of the Douglas Royals was selected Top Female College Player.
Also, Bob Wright of Port Moody received a Special Merit award.
