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Two Legends Lost

By Ryan Watters (@ryan2tswatters), 03/29/23, 8:15PM PDT

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Ken Smith and Norm Jones were incredible people

The CJFL and BC Conference are in mourning following the loss of two legends in the junior football world.

Both Ken Smith and Norm Jones have been instrumental in the success of the BC Conference and will be sorely missed.  They were gentlemen and absolute treasures in the development of junior football in British Columbia.

Ken Smith was named a CJFL Life Member in 1993 and held the same distinction within the BC Conference.  The Executive of the Year award in the BC Conference is named after Ken and has been for quite sometime.  During his tenure as the Surrey Rams President, he is credited for saving the team during tough times in the 1980s and secured the grant necessary to build the lights on Bear Creek practice fields in North Surrey. 

Ken is a decorated war veteran who served with the Cameron Highlanders of Canada in WW II and a survivor of the Dieppe Raid on the coast of France.

Ken was 103.

Norm Jones was named a CJFL Life Member in 2000 and holds the same distinction in the BC Conference after being the longtime Treasurer and Director.  He worked tirelessly to help build the Conference as an incredible volunteer, always eager to help.   

In 2011 he was the recipient of the Sport BC President’s Award for his dedication to amateur football within the BC Conference. 

Norm was 87.

“Both men were incredible people,” says CJFL Commissioner Jim Pankovich.  “They were truly gentlemen and their loss will be felt across the country within junior football.  Our thoughts are with their families.”