Earl Seitz named recipient of 2023-24 Bob Ridley Award for Media Excellence
Kamloops, B.C. – The Western Hockey League announced today that longtime Kamloops sports anchor Earl Seitz has been named the 2023-24 recipient of the WHL’s Bob Ridley Award for Media Excellence.
Seitz was presented with the Bob Ridley Award for Media Excellence prior to the start of Wednesday’s WHL Regular Season game between the Kamloops Blazers and Portland Winterhawks.
“I am extremely thrilled that Earl Seitz is this year’s recipient of the Bob Ridley Award for Media Excellence,” said Bob Ridley, longtime play-by-play voice of the Medicine Hat Tigers and namesake for the WHL’s Bob Ridley Award for Media Excellence. “Earl has been a longtime outstanding supporter of the Kamloops Blazers and the community for many decades. Very well done, Earl, and congratulations.”
Born in Brooks, Alta., Seitz spent 54 years in broadcasting, 48 as the most prominent personality in the Kamloops sports scene.
“The WHL and Kamloops Blazers are proud to recognize Earl’s extensive coverage of the WHL at CFJC Kamloops for nearly 50 years,” commented WHL Commissioner Dan Near. “Over the course of his career, Earl has made incredible contributions to the sports community through his dedicated coverage of amateur athletics and more. For his dedication, integrity and professionalism, Earl Seitz is most deserving of this prestigious WHL award.”
When he first arrived in Kamloops in 1974, Seitz began covering the Kamloops Chiefs of the then Western Canada Hockey League. He served as the play-by-play voice of the Chiefs on 910 CFJC radio before eventually transitioning to become the face of CJFC Sports on TV.
During Seitz’s time in Canada’s Tournament Capital, he witnessed the Chiefs depart in 1977 to become the Seattle Breakers, before the New Westminster Bruins relocated to Kamloops in 1981 and became the Kamloops Junior Oilers before rebranding as the Kamloops Blazers in 1984, embarking on legendary stretch that saw them become one of the most celebrated franchises in all of Canadian junior hockey.
Seitz served to deliver the news of six WHL Championships and three Memorial Cup titles for the Blazers. Over those years, he saw legends of the sport come and go, including the likes of Jarome Iginla, Scott Niedermayer, Mark Recchi, Shane Doan, Ken Hitchcock, Tom Renney, and many more.
A staple in the Kamloops community, Seitz was inducted into the Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame in 2019. Outside of the rink, he covered the 1993 Canada Summer Games, The Brier, and many other high-profile sporting events, including the Kamloops International Bantam Ice Hockey Tournament (KIBIHT).
For the 2014-15 season, he was recognized with the Fred ‘Gus’ Collins Award, which is presented annually to a member of the media who works tirelessly covering Canada West university athletics and its student-athletes. Seitz was a mainstay at Canada West sporting events on Thompson Rivers University campus in Kamloops.
In 2011, Seitz was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award from RTDNA Canada – recognition for outstanding service and continued excellence during the course of his career.
Seitz retired from broadcasting on December 31, 2021. Following his retirement, he has remained active in the Kamloops sports community, including volunteering with the Blazers and during the 2023 Memorial Cup.
Established in 2021, the WHL’s Bob Ridley Award for Media Excellence is presented annually to a distinguished member of the radio, television, and print journalism industry in recognition of their outstanding contributions to sports journalism and the WHL.
Previous Winners of the WHL’s Bob Ridley Award for Media Excellence
2022-23: Rob Vanstone, Regina Leader-Post (Regina)
2021-22: Bob Ridley, CHAT TV & Radio (Medicine Hat)
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for close to 60 years. The WHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.