After the league granted the franchise a one years leave of absence, the franchise adopted a new name, the Vernon Lakers, for the 1980-81 season. They kept that name till the end of 1994-95 season.

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Owners - Hank Aarsen Sr., Sheldon Bloomer, Ray Williment Sr., (Vern Dye?)

The previous Vernon Canadians ownership group continued with the new 'Vernon Lakers Junior 'A' Team for the 1980-81 season.

Hank Aarsen Sr. would be the General Manager and coaching the 1980-81 team was Russ Newton who was replaced sometime during the season by Gary Criss. The two coaches had a combined record of; Regular Season 56GP-8W-48L-0T. The team failed to make the playoffs for a second time, the first being 1978.

Coach Russ Newton

• 1980-81; Regular Season ?GP-?W-?L-?T
• If you have the records for these coaches please, contact me.

Coach Gary Criss

• 1980-81; Regular Season ?GP-?W-?L-?T
• If you have the records for these coaches please, contact me.

From Rays Obituary...Ray Williment had been actively involved in Vernon Minor Hockey culminating in his ownership of the Vernon Lakers Junior 'A' Team in the 1981-82 season.

The 1981-82 Coach was Gord MacBeth and for the second year in-a-row, the third for the franchise, the team did not make the playoffs. Up until this point in time, this was the only instance of the franchise failing to make the playoffs in two consecutive years.

Coach Gord MacBeth

• 1981-82; Regular Season 47GP-10W-36L-1T

Owner - Ray Williment Sr. (need to confim?)

The next year 1982-83 Ray Williment Sr. was President and Owner. Vern Dye would be appointed General Manager who found a new Coach in Murray Lawrence. The team made the playoffs but, bowed out in a, hard fought, quarterfinals.

Coach Murray Lawrence

• 1982-83; Regular Season 56GP-35W-20L-1T & Playoffs 7GP-3W-4L

The team was eventually sold following the playoffs to Carl & Ivy Ememark and Bud Russel.

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Owners -Carl & Ivy Enemark & Bud Russell

Carl Enemark of "Enemark & Campbell Realty" along with his wife Ivy along with Bud Russell purchase the Lakers from Ray Williment Sr. and Group after the 1981-82 season.

Bud Russell(he is named co-owner in the 1983-84 program but, not in the 1984-85 program) was co-owner, secretary and treasurer. The General Manager was former Trainer, of the Vernon Vikings, Wayne Sorci, Vern Dye replaced Sorci at some point.

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Coach Chuck Tapp

The first Coach for the new owners was Chuck Tapp who quit after three games and went on to the Kelowna Wings of the Western Hockey League.

• 1983-84; Regular Season 3GP-2W-1L-0T,

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Coach Mike Enemark

Replacing Chuck Tapp would be the owners son and former player Mike Enemark.

• 1983-84; Regular Season 57GP-43W-14L-0T & Playoffs 6GP-2W-4L.
• 1984-85; Regular Season 22GP-10W-10L-1T
• Over-all Record Regular Season 78GP-53W-24L-1T & Playoffs 6GP-2W-4L

Mike stepped away from coaching after twenty-one games in 1984, citing too much pressure. However remained with the club as an advisor to the coach, Don Moores.

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Coach Don Moores

Don Moores took over the club and propelled the team to the playoffs which, they lost in the quarterfinals.

• 1984-85; Regular Season 30GP-18W-11L-1T & Playoffs 7GP-3W-4L

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The Enemamarks would sell the Vernon Lakers to Mel Lis after the 1985-86 season.

Side Note: After being involved with the franchise, during it's first three decades of excistence, Vern Dye would no longer be a part of it after the 1985-86 season.
If it were not for Vern Dye, I beleive, this team would never have lasted to this point in time. He put his heart, soul and money into the club to keep it going, acting in many roles including Owner, General Manager, Coach and Billet. He also served as PRegular Season dent and Vice PRegular Season dent for the League, Thanks Vern!!!
BURNABY, BC - February 11th, 2009 - British Columbia Hockey League founder Vern Dye will be recognized for his many years of service to Junior A hockey in British Columbia by having the league's Most Valuable Player trophy named in his honour. Article can be found HERE.

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Owner - Mel Lis

Mel Lis, of "Lis Equipment Rental Ltd.", purchased the Lakers from the Enemarks and Bud Russell? after the 1985-86 season.

Mel Lis would take on the role of Owner, President and General Manager for the next seven years.

It was this edition of the franchise, with Mel Lis at the helm, that started what was to become a dominate team, of junior 'A' hockey, in the league, regional and national levels.

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Coach Don Moores

Don Moores continued, as coach for Mel Lis, till the end of the 1985-86 Season.

• 1985-86; Regular Season 52GP-28W-21L-3T & Playoffs 7GP-3W-4L

Don Moores at the end 1985-86 Season joined the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League.

• Over-all Record Regular Season 82GP-46W-32L-1T & Playoffs 14GP-6W-8L

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Coach Ernie Gare

Replacing Don Moores would be Ernie Gare, a former player.

• 1986-87; Regular Season 52GP-33W-17L-2T & Playoffs 10GP-6W-4L

In his second year Ernie Gare won a League and Provincial championship.

• 1987-88; Regular Season 52GP-42W-10L-0T & Playoffs 19GP-14W-5L

For his third year Ernie Gare, lead the team to a League, Provincial, BC v AB and Western Canadian championships for a berth in the 1989 National Tournament.

• 1988-89; Regular Season 60GP-40W-19L-1T & Playoffs 31GP-22W-9L

In his fouth year as coach Ernie Gare would be replaced by, former NHLer, Eddie Johnstone shortly before the Vernon Lakers were to host the 1990 National Tournament.

The replacement came at a time when the Lakers were on a month long break. They had lost the League finals to the New Westminster Royals, in six games, and were awaiting hosting the Centennial Cup. What lead up to this firing is, as of yet, still unknown.

• 1989-90; Regular Season 58GP-33W-20L-5T
• Over-all Record 1986-90; Regular Season 222GP-148W-66L-3T & Playoffs 60GP-42W-18L

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Coach Eddie Johnstone

After the firing of Ernie Gare, Eddie Johnstone, would go on to finish the playoffs of the 1989-90 season. As hosts, of the National Tournament, the Vernon Lakers would capture their first national title with a come-from-behind overtime goal by Cam Sylven, defeating the New Westminster Royals 6-5.

• 1989-90; Playoffs 19GP-12W-7L

Another National Championship was aquired by Eddie Johnston and his Vernon Lakers in 1991. This time however, the team earned their right to be at the National final. The team had previously defeated Kelowna and Chilliwack to win a berth to the league finals. In that final they defeated Powell River winning the leagues Nat Bailey Cup.

The Regional finals were won by the Lakers defeating Prince George for the Mowat Cup and Calgary for the Doyle Cup.

In the national tournament round-robin the Lakers went with 2 wins and 2 losses. In the semifinal they defeated Yorktown and in the final they defeated Sudbury.

• 1990-91; Regular Season 60GP-37W-23L & Playoffs 28GP-23W-5L

Almost repeating what he accomplished the previous season Eddie Johnston came up just short, of his third National Title, losing in a semifinal versus Winkler.

• 1991-92; Regular Season 60GP-34W-26L & Playoffs 31GP-22W-9L

Eddie Johnstone ended his career as Coach of the Lakers after the 1991-92 season.

• Over-all Regular Season 120GP-71W-49L & Playoffs 78GP-57W-21L.

Side Note: The Vernon Lakers accomplishment of four consecutive National Tournament appearances (1989, 1990, 1991, & 1992) remains a Canadian Junior "A" Hockey record to this day.

With two National Championships plus numerous league banners and many, many trophies to call his own Mel Lis would sell the club to Duncan Wray in 1992.

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Owner - Duncan Wray & Al Patersen

Dr. James Duncan Wray, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, bought the team from Mel Lis after the 1991-92 season.

Duncan Wray would hire a sports journalist as General Manager for his first year (1992-93) of ownership named, Al Paterson, whom was also a minority owner.

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Coach Rob Bremner

Al Paterson would hire a coach that would stay with the Lakers for the next four seasons, Rob Bremner. Bremner replaced Al Paterson, who resigned October 14, 1992, as General Manager. (Not sure when Al relinqished his minority ownership??)

During his three year tenur with the Lakers GM/Coach Rob Bremner made the playoffs each season.

• 1992-93; Regular Season 60GP-35W-25L & Playoffs 5GP-1W-4L
• 1993-94; Regular Season 60GP-31W-29L & Playoffs 11GP-4W-7L
• 1994-95; Regular Season 60GP-28W-32L & Playoffs 9GP-5W-4L

By the end of the 1994-95 season the Vernon Lakers brought the franchise from the negative side to the positive side of the wins versus losses column. They achieved this with both the regular season and playoffs statistics.

1995 was the last season for the franchise, as the Vernon Lakers because, Duncan Wray would rebrand the club, as the Vernon Vipers, for the 1995-96 season.

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In its 14 years (1980-81 to 1982-83 and 1984-85 to 1994-95), as the Lakers, the franchise has achieved the following highlights:

• 1 - League Pennant
• 1988
• 5 - Interior Division Pennants
• 1988 1989 1990 1991
• 5 - Interior Division Championships
• 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992
• 4 - Nat Bailey Cups - League Championships
• 1988 1989 1991 1992
• Runners-up: 1990
• 4 - Mowat Cups - BC Championship
• 1988 1989 1991 1992
• 3 - Doyle Cups - BC vs AB Championship
• 1989 1991 1992
• Runners up: 1988
• 3 - Abbott Cups - Western Canadian Championship
• 1989 1991 1992
• 2 - Centennial Cups - National Championship
• 1990 1991
• Semi-Finalist: 1992
  Appearance: 1989

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