Our Team
Iriss Gibbons
Iriss Gibbons has been instrumental in the formation of the H.E.R.O.S. summer hockey camp.
"Hockey had been so great for uniting our family," she says.
"We wanted to give our H.E.R.O.S. kids everything hockey has to offer – confidence building, mutual respect and camaraderie, as well as a safe place to go, with a sense of belonging."
Born and raised in Ottawa, Iriss became interested in hockey through her brother, who played pick–up hockey on a neighbourhood rink most winter nights. Her interest also grew thanks to her family's Saturday evenings watching Hockey Night In Canada.
In 1979 Iriss moved to Winnipeg to be with her future husband, Jim, and to study languages at the University of Manitoba.
They left Winnipeg in 1981 to move to Vancouver, where she worked in advertising sales at the North Shore News and Easy Living Magazine. After starting her family, Iriss established Ryan Mitchell Holdings, an import/export company.
Iriss volunteered throughout the school years of her two children. She helped with school advisory committees, event planning, fundraising, and managing several sports teams.
When her son began playing elite hockey, she became aware of the high cost of the ame and the struggle some families face in financing their children in high–level hockey.
In 1997, Iriss and her husband formed The Bulldogs, a franchise team for the Elite Spring League. Together, they raised money to give players advanced coaching, dry land training and regular ice times.
The team finished in Europe with the players participating in an international tournament in the Czech Republic with all expenses paid.
