When a member of the Armstrong family is in the news these days, it’s usually Dylan, who is one of the world’s best when it comes to the shot put.
However, the family matriarch, Judy, is in the headlines these days with the announcement that she will be inducted into the Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame later this year.
The hall’s selection committee has announced that Judy, the president of the Kamloops Track and Field Club, is the first of four individuals who will be announced as inductees.
The annual induction dinner is scheduled for April 9 in the Grand Hall Ballroom at the TRU Campus Activity Centre. The guest speaker will be former NFL punter Mitch Berger.
Armstrong, a single mom, got involved with track and field when she started taking her children to practices.
One thing led to another and she stopped just dropping them off and became involved as a volunteer.
Over the past 20 years, she has held down at least five different positions with KTFC. And that doesn’t include her work as an official at such events as the Canada Summer Games, World championships, B.C. championships and Canadian championships.
“It was a big surprise,” Armstrong said of the announcement. “I didn’t think I’d be getting that. I’m truly honoured to be a part of (the hall of fame).”
Both of Armstrong’s sons — Dylan, 30, and David, 25 — were involved with the KTFC. Judy, who did track and field as a child, decided to volunteer once her sons became serious about the sport.
She has helped organize fundraisers for the club, applied for grants, and helped the club stage countless meets.
Armstrong also helped in the hiring of Anatoly Bondarchuk, who is regarded as the world’s best throws coach.
With Bondarchuk in Kamloops, Athletics Canada named the city as its national throws centre.
Not bad for someone who just wanted to lend a hand.
“They needed help,” Armstrong said. “I was one of the moms who saw they needed help, so I volunteered.
“Then, (for the 1993 Canada Summer Games), Alwilda Van Ryswyk asked me to be an official.
“I eventually got my Level 5, and got to work the world championships in Edmonton in 2001 — that was a huge highlight for me.”
Dylan Armstrong will be heavy into training on April 9 — he is working toward the world championships in Korea in August and September and the 2012 London Olympics — so likely won’t be able to attend the ceremony.
Judy has worked hard to help make Kamloops a major player in the world of athletics — two KTFC athletes, Dylan and Sultana Frizell, competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Kamloops also played host to the 2010 World Masters Athletics championships in March.
“We have a bit of a vision,” Judy said. “We would like to see our sport be almost foremost in people’s minds when they think of Kamloops.”
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The Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame announced Tuesday night that Mike Graas will be inducted as well.
Graas and Armstrong will be joined by two other individual inductees — to be announced later.
Graas has been the head golf professional at the Kamloops Golf and Country Club for four decades, and will be recognized for his hard work in teaching the game.
He first came to Kamloops in 1971, when he took his first head professional job at the KGCC. At the time, it was the only club in town.
He rarely plays competitively these days, but had his share of success in the past. In 1969, he won the provincial CPGA assistants championship, as well as the 1993 B.C. pros and assistants title.
He also won professional tournaments in Lake Cowichan (1969 to 1972), at Cedar Hill in 1997 and at Eagle Point in 1996 and 1997.
