Sportsnet soccer commentator Gerry Dobson is the winner of this year’s Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame Brian Budd Award of Distinction.
The Canadian Soccer Association made the official announcement on Thursday.
Dobson posted this response on Twitter shortly after the CSA broke the news:
Thanks for the kind messages regarding the Brian Budd award. I was shocked when I was informed. Deeply honoured and thoroughly humbled. GD
— Sportsnetworld (@sportsnetworld) April 5, 2012
"I was deeply humbled when I heard the news and feel thoroughly honoured to receive this award," Dobson wrote in an email to sportsnet.ca. "No one was more dedicated to the sport than Brian Budd. I hope that over the years I have been able to honour his legacy by doing whatever I can to promote the beautiful game."
Dobson will officially be recognized at the a special induction banquet on June 2 in Toronto on the same night that former players Carlo Corazzin, Mark Watson, Charmaine Hooper and Andrea Neil will be honoured as part of the this year’s Hall of Fame class.
After spending the early part of his career with Global Television and CFTO TV, Dobson joined Sportsnet in 1998, the same year the Canadian sports channel launched. Ever since has been the voice of the network’s soccer coverage, including Canadian national team games and the Englihs Premiership.
First handed out in 2010, the award is named after Brian Budd, who played professionally for the Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto Blizzards in the old North American Soccer League. He also earned seven caps for Canada,
Budd was probably best known for winning ABC’s World Superstars championship, a televised competition in which accomplished athletes from different sports competed in a variety of athletic challenges
He won the competition three years in a row from 1978 to 1980, and his domination of the competition led to ABC establishing the Budd rule, which barred anyone from taking part in the event after winning it three times.
Budd passed away in 2008 at the age of 56.
The award that bears Budd’s name goes to outstanding individuals who have excelled both in soccer and in another endeavour but who might not otherwise qualify for induction into Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.
Candidates for the award must exemplify good character, show outstanding dedication, achievements and leadership in developing soccer in Canada and provide inspiration to past, present and future generations.