Vancouver Ultimate is proud to announce the Rocky Mountain Whalers (1977–2007) as our 2026 Hall of Fame inductee
October 1, 2026
By Scott Lewis
In the early days of the Vancouver Ultimate League, growth happened in a few different ways. Sometimes people recruited friends and neighbours to join a team. Other times, strangers contacted the league and were assigned to one. But every now and then, a fully built team would appear en masse.
The first of these was the Rocky Mountain Whalers, who arrived in Vancouver in 1977.
In the mid-70s, a number of young people from Cranbrook moved to the Lower Mainland to further their education. As small town folks, they stayed in touch—and as sporty types, they invented a game of their own called Frisbee Football, a mixture of ultimate and guts that they played regularly among themselves.
When they discovered the VUL, they were overjoyed: finally, someone else to play!
They quickly adapted to the rules of ultimate, and soon became core members of the VUL, led by players such as brothers Mike and Garry Walls, Dave Stropky, Randy Brown, and Shauna Walls. Shauna was originally the only woman on the Whalers, so she was glad when they recruited Gaylene Fisher, followed by Judy Chen, Mercedes Ratzinger, Lynn Walton, and the unwavering Eva Srobotnjak. The Whalers women were often outnumbered by their opponents’, but were in such great shape that they were rarely outplayed.
By 1991, much of the original Cranbrook cohort had completed their education and moved back to the Kootenays. With fewer ties to the Rockies, the team dropped “Rocky Mountain” from its name. Its character, however, remained much the same: a collection of guys who were both amiable and a little crusty, alongside women who loved to run. New recruits like John Sheibley, Detmar Schwichtenberg, and future Hall of Famer Dave Knudsen bolstered the ranks. Often Dave’s high school students joined the team for a year—or three. By 1997, the Whalers’ focus had shifted. Winning championships mattered less; friendship and fun mattered more.
Detmar assured us that during the final decade of the Whalers, they were always the last team to leave the field. And perhaps that gets to the heart of why the Whalers belong in the Hall of Fame.
Above all, they embodied what an ultimate team could be, both on and off the field. When I contacted some of the original members for information, I learned that four of them were away together on a late-season hike in the Rockies outside Cranbrook. Decades later, they are still a team.
Gary Walls also shared another legacy bequeathed by the Whalers. As a result of their lobbying, there are now five disc golf courses in Cranbrook—which has a population of less than 30,000 people.
If you are driving through the area, stop by one of the courses. Chances are, you might find a Whaler or two, far from the ocean....
Join us in recognizing the Rocky Mountain Whalers’ induction to the Hall of Fame at this year’s Vancouver Ultimate Awards on October 4, 2026. Tickets available until October 3.