Bill Bettles Collection

Bill Bettles Collection

The William (Bill) and Barbara Bettles family of Aldergrove, BC, got involved in ringette in the early 1980s after learning about the sport from friends. Bill Bettles signed up his eldest daughter Dyan initially in 1985, and then his other two daughters (Shannon, Michelle) the following year (1986).

The Bettles family were members of Aldergrove Ringette Association until the association amalgamated with the Langley Ringette Association to become the Fraser Valley Ringette Association in 1995.

Bill was Vice-President of the Aldergrove Ringette Association in 1986 and became President in 1988. He became a board member of the Lower Mainland Ringette League in 1995.

Bill was a manager of Team BC starting in 1995 while Shannon and Michelle played.

In 1995, Bill was founding President of the Langley Girls Ice Hockey Association, which he started because there were few female-only hockey teams at the time.

In 2009, Bill acquired the BC franchise team competing in the National Ringette League (NRL) and started the Fraser Valley Avalanche. Bill fully funded the team's travel and expenses, and the team was in operation for two seasons.

Bill created and endowed the Michelle VanDale Memorial scholarship, and later the Michelle VanDale Memorial Spirit of Winter Tournament created another scholarship in Bill's name.

In 2011 Bill was honoured with an award for his volunteerism as a builder in sport from Pacific Sport Fraser Valley.

Bill passed away in 2012. Later that year, Bill was honoured by the Township of Langley posthumously for his work on the local sports and recreation commission. A tree is planted at Fort Langley Park in his name.

1980-2012

Available for non-profit use.

English

Photographs, documents, posters, clothing, objects

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