The basketball communities of Victoria and B.C. are mourning the loss of a key member.
Len Anderson was a basketball official at the B.C. Basketball Officials’ Association (BCBOA), where he chaired for 12 years. At the height of his career he worked at the national level, and later served many roles in Victoria.
In 1992, Anderson received the B.C. “Wink” Willox Award, and in 2018 he retired from the BCBOA in 2018 after 63 consecutive years of officiating.
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“As of September 23, 2018, I tender my retirement notice to you all. My body has taken a lot of abuse over the years that I have been associated with sports in Victoria, my birthplace, and has held up remarkably well. The time has come to let it rest. I would like to thank the members, especially those who have known me for a lifetime, for putting up with my rants about the way basketball has headed since I first donned the striped shirt in 1955,” Anderson wrote.
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“Many of you have no idea of how much this team sport has changed over the 63 years I have officiated. I hope you all soldier on and enjoy the ride as much as I have and encourage more of your buddies to join in. I hope to continue to drop in and see how you’re doing.”
Anderson died on Sunday, April 7 after a difficult battle with cancer.
At this time, his family is asking for privacy before a service is announced. Anyone wishing to pass along any memories or messages can send an email to vboatreasurer@gmail.com
