Todd Robinson

Todd Robinson rose through the ranks of the Rossland-Trail Minor Hockey system to become one of the most honoured professional hockey players from Trail.  He has excelled at major junior and pro hockey, and has represented Canada internationally.  Throughout his career, he accumulated more points than any other player in hockey.  As of January 9, 2014, Todd has 497 goals, 1223 assists for a total of 1820 points and continues to add to these numbers.

In junior hockey he is recognized as the all-time leading scorer of the Portland Winter Hawks with 469 points and won a Memorial Cup with the Winter Hawks in 1998.  Following junior hockey, Todd turned professional and has played for a number of leagues in the United States.  Throughout his career he has been selected to five all-star teams, been the leading scorer in the league four times, played on three league championship teams, and has been selected league MVP two times.

At every level of hockey, Todd has excelled, became a pivotal member of his team, and achieved legendary status as one of the greatest play-makers in the game.

Todd resides in Muskegon, Michigan with his wife Alexis and two daughters.

Tom McVie

Tom McVie was born on June 6, 1935, in Trail. Like most children in Trail, he participated in local sports and activities. Tom McVie Sr., his father, who worked at the Cominco Smelter for 40 years, told young Tom that “success is finding something you love to do and getting someone to pay you for it.” He tried many sports. He represented Trail at the BC Interior Games in Kelowna and won the 3-metre diving championship when he was 16 years old. This was exciting, but like most Canadian boys, his dream was to play professional hockey.

He left home at the age of 16 and played junior hockey in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He was gritty and hardworking, but was not a very gifted player. He just wanted a chance to play with a team. Tom got his big chance at age 21 with the Toledo Mercuries of the International Hockey League. Initially, they wanted to send him home, but he worked so hard that they kept him on the team for two seasons. He began to get a reputation as a tough left-handed right-winger and earned the chance to play in a better professional league, the Western Hockey League (WHL).

With only six National Hockey League (NHL) teams, Tom was honoured to play in the Western Hockey League. He hoped that he could keep up with these impressive pros. He not only kept up, but played 15 years in the Western Hockey League. He played six years with the Seattle Totems, where they won the WHL Championships in 1958-59. He also played six seasons with the Portland Buckaroos, where he was second in league goal scoring two times, first in 1961-62, and again in 1964-65. He scored five goals in one game, which was a record that was never broken. Tom also helped lead the Buckaroos to the championship in the 1964-65 season. He also played two seasons with the Phoenix Roadrunners, and one season with the Los Angeles Blades.

Tom had a celebrated professional career in the WHL with more than 1,100 games played, more than 450 goals scored, and more than 1,000 total points accumulated. Tom was selected as a first team all-star twice and second team all-star once.

During the early years of professional hockey, the players earned a fraction of the high-priced salaries of today’s pros. In the hockey off-season, Tom played another game he loved, box lacrosse. He played 10 seasons in the Canadian Senior Lacrosse Association, with one year in Portland, Oregon; seven years in Nanaimo, BC; and two in Vancouver, BC. In 1965, Tom (the captain and first team all-star) led the team to play for the Canadian National Championship.
With his playing career ending, Tom still had a strong passion for hockey, and in 1971, he took an assistant coaching job in the International Hockey League with the Fort Wayne Comets. This job was the beginning of a coaching career that would span 27 years, and seven leagues. In the 1972-73 season, Tom was the player and head coach of the Johnstown Jets of the Eastern Hockey League.

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His next job led to a huge break. The Dayton Gems were the farm team of the National Hockey League’s Washington Capitals. Since Tom had great success in Dayton over his three-year tenure, he received the opportunity to coach the Capitals as they struggled in the 1975-76 season. Tom continued his General Manager duties in Dayton, even after he was hired as Head Coach of the Capitals. That season, the Dayton Gems won the International Hockey League championship. His first season was a long one in Washington, but in the second season, the team became more competitive and Tom was honoured as the NHL’s runner-up Coach of the Year in the 1976-77 season. Scotty Bowman beat out Tom as Coach of the Year.

The Winnipeg Jets of the World Hockey Association hired Tom in 1979. The team was struggling when he was hired, but he led the Jets to win the Avco Championship Trophy, by beating the Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier-led Edmonton Oilers. Tom coached two more seasons with the now NHL Winnipeg Jets, with Bobby Hull being one of his most notable players.

Tom coached the NHL’s New Jersey Devils in 1984, and throughout the 1980s, he was considered to be one of the best teachers and cultivators of young talent in the game of hockey. He coached farm teams for the Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, and Philadelphia Flyers in Oklahoma City, Portland, Maine and Utica, New York respectively, in the Central and American Hockey Leagues. He was honoured as American Hockey League Coach of the Year in the 1988-89 season. As General Manager, his 1983-84 Maine Mariners won the league championship.

Tom coached the New Jersey Devils for two years in the early 1990s. He was asked by Harry Sinden to be the Assistant Coach of the Boston Bruins. He accepted and was Brian Sutter’s assistant for three seasons, coaching future Hall-of-Famers Ray Borque and Cam Neeley. In 1996, Tom coached the Wheeling Nailers of the East Coast Hockey League. His final coaching job was with Boston’s farm team in Providence of the American Hockey League. Tom’s coaching career spanned for 27 years, with over 2,000 games coached and more than 600 victories.

Tom has hung up his coach’s whistle, but continues to be the Boston Bruins’ Professional Scout for west coast operations. He has truly made a career of doing what he loves.

Tony Tenisci

In 1968, 1969 and 1970, Tony Tenisci was the Canadian Senior Champion in the Hammer Throw.

Tony has also been Canadian Midget, Juvenile and Junior Champion in the Hammer.

In 1968, Tony held the North American Junior record in the Hammer Throw.

In 1970, Tony participated in the British Commonwealth Games.

In 1971, he participated in the Pan-American Games. He also held the World Indoor Hammer Record in 1971.

He was chosen NCAA All-American from Washington State University in 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1973.

In 1978, he began coaching university teams in the U.S. He established the first women's track and field team at Washington State University, coaching there until 1983, when he accepted a coaching position at the University of Pennsylvania.

Tony established himself as one of the best technical coaches in the country. He conducts numerous clinics and is widely published in technical magazines.

He is the Director of Throwing Events at the Penn Relays, the largest and oldest track and field meet in the world.

Trail Little League Baseball Canadian Champions

Trail Maple Leaf Band

The Trail Maple Leaf Band is believed to be the longest-active commuity band in Canada. The band was formed in 1917 by Italian immigrants, most of whom came to Trail to work at the smelter.

The size of band membership has varied for many reasons, such as the two World Wars. Since WWII, the band has flourished. At one time, there was a senior band with around 60 members and a junior band of around 40. Members of the junior band graduated to the senior group as they became more proficient.

Around 1936 there were bands in several East and West Kootenay cities. These are all gone now, except in Nelson and Trail. Some Maple Leaf Band members have been with the group for over fifty years and still playing on a regular basis.

The band has participated in many parades and played at famous venues throughout the province, such as Penticton's Peach Festival, at Kelowna and the Pacific National Exhibition Parade in Vancouver. In recent years performances have been limited to the East and West Kootenays.

Trail Minor Hockey Association

Trail Pipe Band

The Trail Pipe Band was formed circa 1924.  The first known photo of the Band is dated 1926 with the name "Trail Caledonia Society Pipe Band" on the drum.  Throughout its history, the Band has been sponsored by community groups or organizations and the Band's name has been changed to reflect this support.  Some of these included the Orange Lodge and the Trail Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.  For over 90 years, the Trail Pipe Band has participated in countless community ceremonies and events, as well as Scottish related events, such as Robbie Burns Night and Highland Games, creating a Trail tradition.

The Band members have traveled widely throughout Southeast BC, Washington, and Idaho for community celebrations promoting the City of Trail, providing entertaining music, and adding colour to hundreds of events.  On many occasions they were accompanied by several girls from the Kate Shaw Highland Dance School.

Today, the Trail Pipe Band continues these traditions with dedication and commitment to the City of Trail and are a significant part of our community's culture and history.

Trail Smoke Eaters Hockey Club

The Early Days  Hockey In Trail 1920's  Smoke Eaters 1930's  Smoke Eaters 1940's  Smoke Eaters 1950's  Smoke Eaters 1960's

Trevor Johnson

Trevor played his minor hockey in Trail and graduated to the Trail Junior Smoke Eaters in 1997 and then to the Western Hockey League in 1998.  He played 5 seasons with the Kootenay Ice, Seattle Thunderbirds and the TriCity Americans.  He excelled in junior hockey holding several team records by a defenseman.

After completing his junior hockey career he played professionally in the American Hockey League with several US teams from 2003 to 2006.

In 2006, Trevor began his international hockey career playing in the Lega Italina Hockey League.  Trevor has Italian citizenship by virtue of his mother's hertiage, making him eligible to play in Italy.  In Italy, Trevor play in 3 IIHF World Hockey Championship tournaments and has been a member of 2 'B' division World Championship teams.  In 2010, the Italian National Team played in the 'A' division of the World Hockey Championships against the premier hockey teams from Canada and the US.

In the 2009 World Hockey Championship, Trevor was selected the Best Defenseman of the tournament, collecting the most points, goals and assists among defenseman.

Trevor continues to play professionally in Italy.

Velen and Velenka Fanderlik

Velen was born and educated in Czechoslovakia. He displayed artistic ability from an early age, but followed family tradition and became a lawyer, a profession he found both exciting and challenging. Velen and his father were instrumental in organizing the Czechoslovakian Boy Scouts, of which Velen became President.

World War II and the absorption of Czechoslovakia by the Soviet Union, forced Velen to flee his homeland. He practiced law in England, and also in France, where he worked as an evacuation officer for Czechoslovak refugees.

One of those refugees was Velenka, a fellow Czechoslovak. Velenka was born and educated in Czechoslovakia. After qualifying as a teacher in French, Slovak and German languages, she took a government position in Lens, France teaching expatriate Czechoslovaks. Ordered home when Czechoslovakia was overthrown in 1938, Velenka refused to leave France. In 1939, while Velenka was in charge of a refugee camp, France was invaded by the Germans and Velenka herself became a refugee. After many travels and adventures, she reached the Mediterranean port of Sete. Here she met Velen, who courted her on the voyage to Liverpool, England. Velen and Velenka were married in England in 1941.

Velenka stayed in England, where she became very active in the Girl Guide movement and where she taught the children of Czech refugees for four years. Meanwhile, Velen served as a military judge and became a member of the prosecuting team at the Nuremberg war crime trials.

A visit to Czechoslovakia by Velen and Velenka in 1947 coincided with the Communist element taking control of their homeland. Velen was warned that his name appeared on a list of persons considered dangerous to state security. He and Velenka fled Czechoslovakia illegally to the American zone of West Germany, where they involved themselves in the work of the International Relief Organization. About a year later, they returned to England, but before long, made the decision to relocate in Canada. The couple settled in Vancouver, where Velen worked at the YMCA and studied at the University of British Columbia (U.B.C.) to become a teacher. Velenka entered business school.

In 1955, Velen accepted a teaching position at J.L. Crowe Secondary School in Trail. Here, he taught Latin, History, Social Studies, Law and Art until his retirement. He also taught the History of Art at night school classes in Trail and Castlegar and at summer schools at U.B.C. and Notre Dame University in Nelson. Velenka, inspired by one of her husband's art classes, began her study of art in 1958. Her studies took her to summer school at U.B.C., the San Francisco Academy of Arts and the Banff School of Fine Arts. She considered her inspirations to be her Roman Catholic faith, the folklore, customs and culture of Czechoslovakia and her life experiences. Velenka died in Trail in 1980.

Velen never abandoned his art. He studied at the University of Brno, St. Martin School of Art in London, Cambridge University, the Academy of Art in San Francisco, University of British Columbia and the Banff School of Fine Arts. His favorite medium was watercolours, but he also liked oil paints, pastels and other mediums. He became known as a miniaturist and for his lino cuts. Velen died in 1985.

Walter Christianson

Lacrosse

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Willi Krause

In 1981, Willi Krause was inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame as a Builder in the area of Track and Field.

He was instrumental in having the Trail Track and Field House built.

He also helped develop the Royal Canadian Legion Athletic Program in the 1960's and established the Trail Track and Field Club in 1959.

Formerly a coach of German Olympic contenders, Krause coached many track and field athletes from Trail to provincial, national and international prominence.

In 1963, he was named an Honorary Member of the National Recreation Association of New York, achieving international
recognition for outstanding service to the recreation movement.

In 1964, he was named head coach of B.C.'s contingent to the Olympic and National Championships. He passed away in 2008.