Sadly, we are announcing the passing of Michael Inman, a devoted husband and family man, a successful business entrepreneur, and a person that, during time served as president of the Valley Royals Track Club, establish a solid financial base and direction for the club.
An outstanding athlete himself, Mike excelled in sports such as basketball and football. He played a leadership role on the 1964 Abbotsford Secondary basketball team that placed second in the provincial championship tournament of that year and was selected to the tournament second all star team.
Mike became involved with the Valley Royals when his daughter Courtney, as a 14 year old, became a member of the Royals. Courtney progressed to become a provincial high school champion at 800 metres, leading middle distance runner and a hall of famer at the University of Washington. Upon her university graduation, Courtey became a member of the Canadian Cross Country team that won a medal at the World Championships.
During his tenure as President of the Valley Royals, Mike secured a number of influential sponsors for the club, such as Lafarge Limited. During the years that Lafarge was a North American firm, Lafarge made yearly sizable donations to the Royals in a partnership that seemed to benefit both the company and the club.
The methods and positive personality that Mike utilized to become a successful business executive were those that he put in motion while president of the Royals. Through his background as an excellent athlete in his youth and still an active competitor in master’s basketball, fastball, and skiing well into his fifties, he understood the value of competitive sport. Mike called upon his many contacts to make it possible for the Valley Royals to become both a competitive sports club and a promotion of worthwhile events, such as the Canadian Track and Field Championships that were held in Abbotsford.
The Valley Royals remain, until this day, one of the leader volunteer oriented sports clubs in Canada and definitely the contributions by persons such as Mike Inman have made this possible.
