October 4th, 2022Lawrie Johns Receives an Eric Whitehead Inspired Service Award

Basketball BC and Sport BC would like to congratulate Lawrie Johns who was chosen to receive an Eric Whitehead Inspired Service Award, designed as a special award to honour long-standing contributors to the sporting community in British Columbia. The Whitehead awards have paid special homage to those who have achieved what they have in the face of adversity, or were otherwise notable in their innovation, leadership, and service to the BC sport system.

Lawrie Johns, former Executive Director of BC Basketball, and long-time leader in BC swimming. Regina-born Johns retired from his role as Executive Director of Basketball BC earlier this year after 14 years in the day-to-day leadership position and 22 with the provincial sport organization. Johns had a significant impact on youth basketball development in his years with Basketball BC, launching the U12 Metro League and the Grizzlies Youth Basketball and Steve Nash basketball program (which grew to national status from its roots in British Columbia). All of that came after a career in sport that began at the grassroots level in swimming. A coach in basketball, football, baseball and athletics, and certified as a master swim official, Johns was also a member of the Sport Leadership Committee at viaSport and he was Executive Director of the Canadian Federation of School Sports.