
Herbert McLachlin
Wheelchair Basketball Builder - Inducted 2017
Herbert "Herb" McLachlin founded the Edmonton Basketball Officials Association in 1950, and later co-founded the Alberta Basketball Officials Association. He served as President of both associations and was the President of the Canadian Basketball Officials Association. From the 1940s to the 1970s, Herb and his colleagues recruited, trained, and mentored young officials. He believed that providing well-trained officials would help further the ideals of good, fair competition. In 1956, Herb co-founded the Alberta Schools Athletic Association and refereed the first ASAA championship played - the Boy’s Basketball Championship. He was on the committee that set up the first rules for Wheelchair Basketball.
Herb was on the executive of the Alberta Amateur Athletic Union and served as Chair of its Track and Field Committee for four years. Herb was a member of CAHPERD, (the) Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance for 36 years and served as President in 1979. He was a member of the Selection Committee for the 1956 and 1960 Canadian Olympic teams, and also for the 1957 Pan American Games team.
Herb worked to bring world-class games to Edmonton. In 1977, he chaired the Canadian Games for the Physically Disabled, at the University of Alberta. He was the University’s Liaison for the 1978 Commonwealth Games. He was a member of the Bid Committee for UNIVERSIADE ’83 and remained on its Scholarship Committee until 1999. He was a member of the Bid Committee and on the Board of Governors for the 2001 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championship Games.
He worked on fundraising for the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and was on its selection committee from 1983 to 1988. He served as Chair in 1984 and was Chairperson of the Standing Committee from 1987 to 1992.
In 1983, NAIT created the Dr. Herb McLachlin Trophy for the MVP of the Edmonton High Schools Boys Premier Basketball Conference. It was awarded annually until 2012. The Edmonton Basketball Officials Association established the Herb McLachlin Award in 2005 which is awarded to a member who has shown dedication and commitment to the development of officials.
Herb McLachlin received the (CAHPERD) R. Tate McKenzie Honour Award in 1985. He was inducted into the Edmonton Sports Hall of Fame in 1999, the University of Alberta Sports Wall of Fame in 2004, and the Alberta High Schools Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 - as a founder and referee. He was a recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2003.
After Induction
Herbert passed away in 2013


