Bruce Allison

Bruce Allison was a well-respected and sought after builder of amateur hockey in Richmond and in BC for almost three decades - and his contributions were only cut short by his death from cancer at the age of 61. He served as a coach, coaching coordinator, minor hockey association founder and president (Gulf of Georgia), PCAHA division manager, vice president and then president. He served as vice president of BC Hockey, and both president of BC Hockey and on the Board of Directors of Hockey Canada. Bruce was serving as the president of BCHL Junior A League and the time of his death. Mr. Allison also was the original owner and founder of the Richmond Sockeyes junior hockey club in 1972. He would be very proud that over 50 years later the first ever captain of the Sockeyes, Richmond's Doug Paterson, is now one of the team owners. Mr. Allison's grandson Dean Allison was selected as the team MVP of the Sockeyes the year they won PJHL, BC and Western Canadian championship titles in 2012-2013 season.

Richmond Roots Bruce Allison lived in the Seafair area of West Richmond from 1960 until his death in 1990. In that time, he was a founder of the Gulf of Georgia Minor Hockey Association, later Seafair Minor Hockey Association. He often coached several teams per season for over a decade and served as the director of hockey operations. He also coached box lacrosse for Richmond for a number of years. He and his wife Emily raised 5 successful children in Richmond, and one son, Jim, served as a teacher, coach, and secondary school principal in Richmond for 35 years until retiring in 2023.

Did You Know Won a provincial championship coaching a Richmond novice lacrosse team in 1971.

Barriers Overcome Fought the status quo in hockey by focusing on junior players staying in school. Fought tremendous resistance by eliminating the "everyone drops their gloves during a fight" in junior hockey and stiffening suspensions to coaches for line brawls.

Recognition Bruce Allison was awarded the BC Hockey "Diamond Stick Award" that honors individuals who have provided outstanding service to the game of hockey for more than 10 years. The meritorious service may be provided to national or international hockey programs, BC Hockey or its members. He was also recognized with a Hockey Canada exemplary service award during "hockey week" in 1980. Mr Allison was also a strong believer in promoting education with hockey and the idea of "coach as teacher". He founded the first scholarship programs in the PCAHA and several scholarships are awarded in his memory. The PCAHA "Coach of the Year" award had been renamed as the Bruce Allison Award.

Contribution to Richmond Sport For 20 years, Mr. Allison also served as division manager for the PCAHA, vice-president, and eventually president of the PCAHA from 1977-1980. Mr. Allison then went on to serve as second and then first vice president of the BCAHA (later BC Hockey) for six years and then stepped up as president of BC Hockey from 1985 to 1988. Mr. Allison also served on the Hockey Canada Board of Directors from 1985-1988 where he attended national and international conferences and clinics as he loved discussing and debating hockey philosophy with others from across Canada and the hockey world. Mr. Allison then served as president of the BC Junior A Hockey League from 1988 until his death in 1990. In his short time with the league, he highlighted the skill and talent in the league and cracked down on stick violence and "line brawls" that were still common in junior hockey at the time.