Murray Roberts and Botwood, Newfoundland and Labrador, go hand in hand. A product of the Botwood Area Minor Hockey Association, Murray represented his hometown in the late 1970s.

Almost 20 years later, Murray got back into the game as a coach and Initiation director with the MHA, going on to serve as its president in the late 1990s. In 1999, he got involved at the provincial level, taking on the role of public relations officer for the Hockey Newfoundland & Labrador Board of Directors. He was elected as vice-president in 2000, a position he would hold for the next 19 years.

During that time, Murray was a leader in the area of risk management; he was instrumental in bringing in a provincial comprehensive screening process for all volunteers and led the charge in introducing the Safety Towards Others Program (STOP) across the province to protect players on the ice.

He also played a leading role in the implantation of mouthguards in minor hockey, and was a facilitator for the Speak Out! Program, which supported the awareness and prevention of bullying, abuse and harassment within the game.

Murray was honoured in 2020 with Life Membership to Hockey Newfoundland & Labrador, in recognition of his efforts to make the game safer and more enjoyable for all participants.