Lenarduzzi Receives The Order of BC

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Former Canadian international and Vancouver Whitecaps FC Director of Soccer Operations, Bob Lenarduzzi, is in Victoria today to receive the Order of British Columbia.



Bob Lenarduzzi has been a Vancouver sports icon for over two decades, excelling as a player, coach, and general manager. Over his career, he has represented Canada at World Cup and Olympic levels. As a player and coach with the 86ers, he won four straight Canadian league championships, making him the most successful coach in Vancouver professional sports history. He was twice named Canadian Soccer League’s coach of the year. He has also spent countless hours promoting and fostering soccer in Canada, running numerous youth camps and clinics.



Lenarduzzi has been inducted into the Soccer Hall of Fame, United Soccer League’s Hall of Fame, the North American Soccer Hall of Fame, and the BC Sports Hall of Fame and adds today’s honour to his achievements.



The Order of British Columbia is a tribute to outstanding citizens of British Columbia, who have been attributed with strengthening the province in exceptional ways. “Our province welcomes each recipient to the distinction that their dedication merits as members of the Order of British Columbia,” said Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo when announcing today’s beneficiaries.



The Order of British Columbia’s recipients are carefully selected from public nominations by an independent advisory committee. Members of the council include the Chief Justice of British Columbia, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, the President, in turn, of British Columbia’s Public Universities, for a two-year term, the President of the Union of B.C. Municipalities, the Deputy Minister responsible for the Order of British Columbia, and two past recipients of the Order.



Along with Lenarduzzi, 14 other people will be receiving the award this year, including: Dr. Martha C. Piper, O.C., of Vancouver, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia; Denny Boyd of West Vancouver, long-serving print journalist with the Vancouver Sun; William Patrick (W.P.) Kinsella, O.C., of Yale, one of Canada’s most successful and prolific writers; Anthony von Mandl of Westbank, proprietor of Mission Hill Family Estate winery, and 10 other deserving citizens.