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Jim Powell & Jamie Paulson Inducted into the BCAN Hall of Fame!
February 6, 2019
On February 2nd 2019, two Glencoe Club legends were inducted into the Badminton Canada Hall of Fame!
February 2nd, 2019 marked an historic moment for badminton in Canada as Jim Powell and Jamie Paulson were inducted to the Badminton Canada Hall of Fame. The two gentlemen were acknowledged for their life-long contributions to the sport; Jim Powell as a builder of badminton in Canada, and Jamie Paulson for representing Canada on the most elite stages of athletics.
The two legends were honored at The Glencoe Club, following the Finals of the 2019 Yonex Canadian National Championships. They were greeted by friends, family and fellow life-long lovers of the sport who spoke about the great memories and moments that they shared.
"We are so honoured to have Jim Powell and Jamie Paulson part of the Badminton Canada Hall of Fame" said Anil Kaul, President of Badminton Canada. "Huge contributors to our sport like Jim and Jamie have been fundemental to the growth of badminton in Canada; we cannot express enough our appreciation and gratitude for these individuals"
Jim Powell was a coach and a builder for badminton in Calgary. He started at The Glencoe Club in Calgary, Alberta when he was hired to help Dave Folinsbee in February, 1963. During his time Jim built a strong squad of young players including Jamie Paulson, while managing the day-to-day operations of the badminton program. In the late 1960’s, Jim partnered with friend and colleague, Channarong Ratanaseangsuang to start Yonex Canada. The business was run out of the Jim’s garage. For the first five years, it was just the two of them, working at The Glencoe Club during the day and then heading to the garage at night to fill orders. Yonex Canada has since turned into a massive company, but few know the humble roots from where it had begun.
Jamie Paulson, who was an athlete at The Glencoe Club under Jim's guidance, developed to be one of the great badminton players in Canadian history. Despite winning multiple Junior and Senior Canadian National Championship titles, the highlight of his carrer is winning the Commonwealth Games gold medal in 1970; to later be a flag bearer for the Games in 1974 in Christchurch, New Zealand, where he would win the silver medal for Canada.
Read Jim Powell and Jamie Paulson's story below