Winter 2020 Issue
By: LacrosseTalk Staff one season. Sohen then spent time in Victoria, Vancouver and Coquitlam uniforms The BC sports community has lost a legend. Sohen Gill passed away peacefully over the next seven years, accumulating 65 goals and 76 assists for 141 points in December 6, 2019. He was 78. 111 games. After the 1969 season, Sohen mothballed his playing stick, but not his Gill exemplified the true meaning of lacrosse volunteerism. Passionate, enthusiasm. dedicated, hard-working, a leader and mentor are of the many words to describe He took over the roles of Coach and General Manager of the Burnaby Junior team him. He was the heart and soul of the BC Lacrosse community for six decades and (1970-1972), Coach and General Manager of the Burnaby Senior B team (1972- a mentor to many from coast to coast. 1976) and then General Manager and sometime Coach of the WLA’s Coquitlam If there was a need for a position to be filled, to administer a league, a team, Adanacs club (1977-1986). a committee, a tournament, the ever-accommodating Sohen Gill was always In 1987, he began a four-year term as Commissioner of the WLA. Then came willing to help. This self-professed “lacrosse nut” as a player, coach, manager, the nightmare every firefighter faces on December 29, 1990. A lieutenant in charge administrator, official, volunteer, and fan did it all. of a ladder truck, Sohen scrambled onto the roof of a Vancouver restaurant to For him, lacrosse was a calling -- he did anything and everything. assess the extent of a fire when the roof suddenly disintegrated, plunging Gill The son of immigrants from India, Gill grew up in North Burnaby a block away into the centre of the inferno.
[Show full text]