SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

The Vancouver Canucks Alumni provides scholarship opportunities (four per year at $2,500) for academically qualified hockey playing youngsters from the BC Junior League to attend the University of British Columbia. Orland Kurtenbach, the team`s original captain when Vancouver entered the NHL in 1970, was a natural to spearhead this initiative, having coached several years in the BCJHL with Richmond and Chilliwack. Recently, Kurtenbach has handed over the reins to fellow ex-Canuck Gerry O`Flaherty, while taking on the task of BCJHL marketing director. He works alongside another Canuck alumnus, John Grisdale, who is the League Commissioner. Over the years, more than 20 youngsters have graduated from the BCHL to pursue scholarships to UBC. For further information on these scholarship opportunities, please call Gerry O`Flaherty at (604) 980-8487 or e-mail him at: goflaherty@shaw.ca.

Another scholarship program was initiated in 1996 in the name of Larry Ashley. Ashley was the longtime athletic trainer of the NHL Canucks who died of cancer in 1995. Widely recognized as a leader in his field, Ashley`s name now lives on via the Larry Ashley Scholarship Program. It provides scholarship funds of $2,500 per year to qualifying BC students pursuing post-secondary studies in the fields of sports medicine and/or athletic training. A major contributor of funds to sustain this program is the annual Larry Ashley Golf Classic, a tournament which features the presence of a wide variety of ex-Canucks and other celebrities. For further information on this scholarship program, please visit www.canucks.com or e-mail scholarship administrator Norm Jewison at njewison@orcabay.com.