Harvey Sedgwick

Builder | 2016

Harvey Sedgwick wore many hats during his time. He was a dedicated coach, league president and organizer in addition to his career as a lawyer and judge.

His first major influence on the game of football came with the creation of a four-team circuit in 1954 known as the West Vancouver Minor Football League. After two years, the league moved to Norgate Park in North Vancouver becoming the North Shore Minor Football League.

Following a tragic plane crash in 1956 which took the lives of five players participating in the CFL All-Star game in Vancouver, Sedgwick and league officials changed its name to the Gordon Sturtridge Football League in honour of one of the fallen football heroes.

In addition to his time spent coaching a number of championship teams, Harvey also served as league president for eight years and in 1958, oversaw the creation of the BC Provincial Minor Football Association, uniting all minor football organizations in BC.

His legacy lives on today as the Gordon Sturtridge Football League is the oldest community football association in BC providing 450 boys and girls ages 9 to 15 with an opportunity to participate in the great game of football at the tackle and flag levels. In 2007, Harvey was honored in the Builder category at the BC Lions annual Orange Helmet Awards.

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