(Red Deer Rebels)

By rdnewsNOW staff

Media Excellence

Longtime Red Deer sports journalist honoured with WHL’s Bob Ridley Award

Mar 15, 2025 | 10:50 AM

The Western Hockey League honoured local sports journalist Greg Meachem, who was named the 2024-25 recipient of the league’s Bob Ridley Award for Media Excellence.

His wife Brenda, and many other family members were in attendance on Friday night prior to the Rebels game against the Prince Albert Raiders to accept the award.

Known as, “Meach” around the rink and in the community, he passed away in April last year following a brief illness.

He covered the Rebels and the WHL since the team joined the league in 1998. In 2016, he was hired as the writer for the Red Deer Rebels website after a 35-year career with the Red Deer Advocate.

Born in Aborfield, Sask., Meachem was raised in Creighton, Sask., and Flin Flon, Man. he got his journalism diploma from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary.

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He got his start in the industry at the Strathmore Standard and Lloydminster Times before joining the Advocate sports department in 1981. He was there until 2016.

Meach was a legend in the local sports community serving as the resident Rebels expert and sharing the stories of local athletes and teams.

He was known for his great personality, laid-back and easy-going manner, and dedication to his work.

He formed lasting relationships with the players throughout the Rebels organization and was there in 2001, when the team won their first-ever WHL Championship. He then followed them to Regina and covered the team on their quest to claim the Memorial Cup title.

In addition to covering the Rebels, his career highlights include covering the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary and travelling to Halifax for the 1990 World Figure Skating Championships.

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 include Earl Seitz (CFJC TV in Kamloops) in 2023-24, Rob Vanstone (Regina Leader-Post) in 2022-23, and Bob Ridley (CHAT TV & Radio) in 2021-22.

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