Local athletic icons Howard Tooby and Gordon Hartley have long been recognized as successful coaches.

When they achieve induction into the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday (Oct. 18), the two will be recognized as ‘builders’ on the Victoria-area sports scene.

Having developed strong skills as a player in both basketball and tennis, Howard Tooby proved to be a natural coach and became a mentor to many Victoria athletes.

In basketball his Tillicum Athletics won the B.C. intermediate men’s championship in 1950. He would go on to guide many more teams to glory including the C&C Taxi junior women in 1953 and Scott and Peden junior men in 1955, both of which teams captured Canadian crowns.

Tooby was equally adept on the tennis court, complimenting an impressive local playing career by earning a solid reputation as an instructor.

Starting at the Oak Bay club, Tooby later became inter-municipal tennis co-ordinator with Hartley.

The two became a fixture in spring and summer clinics, teaching the game’s basics and finer points to scores of area youngsters and adults.

Hartley was a constant on the summer tennis scene as a coach and instructor between the 1940s and ’70s.

A prolific cross-country and road racing runner in his own youth, Hartley was considered by some to be ahead of his time with his technique and training methods.

While tennis would eventually become his focus, he developed a number of aspiring runners at Victoria High School.

His dedication to creating lesson programs that taught the fundamentals of tennis, and his work to expand those programs around the Capital Region, that left a permanent legacy.

Three athletes, three builders and two teams will be inducted to the Hall on Saturday at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

Triathlete Lori Bowden, race car driver Dave Cooper and soccer star Brian Robinson will enter as athletes. Hartley and Tooby will be joined by rugby builder Don Burgess in their respective category and under the team heading are the 1967-70 Rawlings-Maplettes senior ‘A’ women’s basketball team and Canada’s 1913 Davis Cup tennis representatives, most of whom had strong Victoria connections.

The ceremony gets underway at 6 p.m.

Admission includes a buffet dinner, two cocktails, the ceremonies and a chance to meet with famous Olympians and see the unveiling of the newest Hall of Fame displays at the Arena.

Tickets are available through Jeevan Dillan at 250-721-4048, or Pat Hall at 250-389-0223.

sports@vicnews.com