It does not overstate the case to say that Mike McCann put Barrie junior hockey back on the map after a long period of mediocrity. Mike’s tenure as Head Coach of the Jr.”B” Barrie Colts began with the acquisition of the club by the Barrie Minor Hockey Association. In his first season, 1981-82, he took the team from 11th to 6th place. In 1982-83 the Colts finished 4th, and McCann was named the Central Ontario Jr.”B” League’s Coach of the Year. He turned the coaching reins over to Paul Regan and Glen Richardson in 1983-84, when they finished 3rd, but returned behind the bench for 1984-85. The Colts won their first Central League Championship, and Mike was named Coach of the Year for the second time. The Colts were league finalists both of the next two seasons, before winning their second Central title in 1987-88. During the six years of Mike’s tenure as Head Coach, the Colts appeared in the finals five times, winning two championships, and were semi-finalists in the only other year he handled the team. He has sent countless players to US college scholarships and Major Junior teams, and has at least three former players currently performing in the N.H.L. During the last two seasons, Mike has served the Colts as General Manager, with responsibilities chiefly in the player personnel field. The Colts have repeated as Central Champions both years. Between 1970 and 1981, Mike coached Barrie Minor Hockey Association rep teams from the Atom to the Midget level, winning innumerable championships, including the 1971-72 Peewee Little N.H.L. title, the 1977 Quebec Peewee Tournament “A” Division title, and the 1978-79 OMHA Minor Midget Championship. Mike has served on the B.M.H.A. Executivefor many years, and in 1974 received the B.M.H.A. Award. Mike McCann is a teacher at Eastview Secondary School. When there was no volunteer for the 1989-90 Senior Boys’ basketball team at Eastvjew, Mike undertook that additional responsibility, rather than see the boys with no team on which to play.

Kate Wilson was the founder and Head Coach of the Barrie Rowing Club, which she formed during the winter of 1988. She led a group which established a constitution, acquired equipment, found a suitable location, developed a program, and conducted a community awareness and membership drive. By early summer of 1988, the fledgling Barrie Rowing Club had 65 members, two nationally certified coaches, four rowing shells, a coach boat, and a temporary boathouse/storage facility. Wilson continued as both Head Coach and President in 1989, overseeing an increase in the club’s membership to 100, an increase in its nationally certified coaching staff from two to nine, and the addition of two more rowing shells. The youth program increased the club’s membership from a dozen high school students to more than thirty. Wilson relinquished the President’s duties in 1990 in order to concentrate on her role as Head Coach. She developed the “buddy system” of coaching to allow novice coaches to learn from more experienced ones. This is consistent with the club’s co-operative learning style of operation. The competitive rowing program was expanded in 1990, and four young rowers competed in the Ontario Summer Games. Barrie Rowing Club crews have competed with distinction at regional and provincial regattas, even winning medals at the famed Henley Regatta. Through only three short years of operation, the Barrie Rowing Club now competes successfully against the established Argonaut, Hanlon and Don Rowing Clubs. The Club’s profile was expanded during 1990 when Wilson organized a National Masters (over 27) Sculling Camp at the Kempenfelt Conference Centre. A founding principle of the club was the provision of accessible rowing facilities to all citizens of Barrie, and the recognition of the importance of recreational rowers, in addition to the competitive ones. Wilson announced plans to expand the current program to include adaptive rowing for the disabled and for “at risk” (disadvantaged) youth. Kate Wilson has worked very hard to ensure safety and to encourage the development and achievement of the personal goals of all the rowers and coaches she works with. Without her, there would be no Barrie Rowing Club. Her contacts and technical expertise have provided opportunities for rowers that would normally be available only at larger rowing clubs, and she continues to provide a fun, co-operative program for rowers of all levels and goals

Dave Palmateer, a former ski racer himself, has been teaching ski racing for 32 years. His involvement in the sport has been at many levels. Most recently, he has been noted for his success with the program at Eastview, but Palmateer has continued to be involved in many areas of the sport. A Toronto native, Palmateer grew up in a family of non-skiers, but his uncle bought him a set of skis and took him onto the slopes, setting in motion the course for the rest of his life. As a teacher, Palmateer used to coach football, track and field and for a time, gymnastics, before deciding to specialize in alpine skiing around 1980. That move paid immediate dividends, as Eastview began to become a provincial powerhouse in the sport. In the first year he instituted a dry land training program, Eastview showed marked improvement and it captured its first of a series of Ontano high school championships in 1983. For the last 20 years, at least one of Eastview’s boys’ or girls’ ski teams has competed at OFSAA championships. During 1991, Eastview had a bit of an off-year on the provincial scene, placing its boys’ team fifth in Ontario. During the 1991-92 season, the boys’ team won the provincial gold medal and Palmateer was named coach of-the-year by OFSAA. Dave has also been involved within the hierarchy of the Canadian Skiing Association, serving with the Southern Ontario Division in a variety of positions. He chaired the organizing committee for the Jeep-Eagle Canadian Skiing Championships held in Collingwood this winter, was a member of the SOD Alpine Committee for five years and served on the SOD Board of Directors, which used to oversee all aspects of skiing (jumping, freestyle, cross-country and alpine) before a restructuring two years ago. Dave has also been a member of the Canadian Ski Instructors’ Alliance and is just stepping down as the Race Committee Chairman at the Craigleith Ski Club in Collingwood.

Louise Leroux has been a volleyball coach at Barrie Innisdale Secondary School for the past 17 years. During that time, she has coached six Georgian Bay high school championship teams and has assisted in the development of many students as athletes and as people. Leroux’s last two teams have won Georgian Bay high school championships and this past fall, her senior boys’ squad went on to win a surprise silver medal at the Ontario AA high school championships in Bradford/and Alliston. Innisdale went into the Ontario championship rated out of the medals, but Leroux’s steady coaching hand and her players’ enthusiasm allowed them to pull two major upsets and reach the championship game. A teacher for the past 18 years, Leroux found success the very first time she coached volleyball, winning a Georgian Bay title her first year in Barrie. Leroux taught in the Elgin County School Board for one year before moving here. Leroux’s coaching philosophy, is that winning is not as important as setting realistic goals based on the talent and ability of her athletes. She challenges her athletes to achieve, setting reasonable and attainable goals. In this area, she credits another well-known and successful city volleyball coach, Bob Clarke, as her mentor. In addition to her involvement in athletics, Leroux has also been involved in Girl Guides and at Collier St. United Church. Originally from Ottawa, She is married to Rick Leroux and the couple have two children, 12-year-old Becky and Ben, 10. Leroux plans to take a few years off from coaching now, to spend more time in family pursuits with her children.

Jim Hamilton is well into his 26th year as a coach and builder of high school athletics. Although his involvement in rugby in particular extends well beyond the walls of his school, Hamilton is best known for his accomplishments with the Eastview Secondary School rugby program. Hamilton has been involved in high school rugby since the first year it was sanctioned as a sport, 1969. He was also instrumental in helping rugby get recognition from the high school sports governing body, the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association. In 1979, the first year OFSAA sponsored a provincial championship in rugby, Hamilton’s school hosted the competition. The rugby program at Eastview is known throughout the province and Hamilton oversees a program with three teams and about 100 athletes each year. His teams have won more than 30 Georgian Bay titles, and one OFSAA senior championship. In addition to the OFSAA gold medal, Hamilton’s sides have earned three silver medals and several bronzes. He also served as chairman of the OFSAA rugby board for 14 years. His teams have toured Wales and England, and hosted sides from Scotland, England, Wales and other provinces many times. Hamilton also played rugby until the late 1980s. As a member and co-coach of the Barrie Rugby Club, Hamilton helped the team win a Toronto and District elite division championship in 1985, and the club reached the finals two other seasons. He spent 15 years as a player in Barrie and was team captain twice. He coached on a rotating basis for four years and has served in several capacities on the club executive, and also on the Recreation Advisory Committee of the Barrie Parks and Recreation Department. His involvement with sport includes more than just rugby. He spent about 15 years coaching high school basketball, working mainly with the younger age groups where his knack for teaching fundamental skills was best utilized. During that time, he also organized an annual high school tournament. Teams Hamilton coached went to numerous Georgian Bay championships and won two titles. For the past couple of seasons, Hamilton has also assisted as a strength coach with the school’s junior football program.

The 2009 John Crawley Lifetime Acheivement Award was posthumously awarded to Jim Hamilton.

When fans think about football in Barrie, the names Bruce Clark and Dave Garland are never far from their lips. The pair have made Central Collegiate’s senior Redskins program the dominant force in football in the Georgian Bay region since they started coaching together 21 years ago. In that time, they’ve reached the Georgian Bay final an amazing 18 times, and have won 12 championships. Their lifetime coaching record together is 177-14-1. Central has never missed the playoffs in their time atthe school. Clark, an Orillia native who started his coaching career in Midland, arrived at Central two years before Garland, in 1972. He finished his own football career on graduating from McMaster University and coached at Midland before moving to Central. Garland, who grew up in Toronto and went on to play football at the University of Western Ontario, started his high school coaching career in North York. The year before arriving in Barrie, Garland coached his team to a North York title and was chosen the coach of the North York all-stars.When Garland arrived to join Clark in Barrie, they embarked on a reign over Simcoe County football that has not been matched by any school in any other sport. Garland has also been involved as a volunteer with other sports organizations. He has served on the Georgian Bay football committee for many years, coached minor hockey and minor soccer for several years, and held several positions (including president for four years) with the Barrie Optimist Minor Soccer Association executive. Garland also helped create Central’s wrestling program, and coached for several years. He’s still active in sports, playing squash, hockey and slo-pitch. Clark’s athletic involvement has been mainly with football, but the geography department head helps out with many other school activities, including the students’ council and the band parents’ association. Clark and Garland have been nominated together because they are considered inseparable in their contributions to football at Central and throughout the county. Jack Phillips has, in recent years, had a high profile in track and field in Barrie and Simcoe County. But his contributions to sports and athletics go back many years and include athletes at many different levels. A Barrie resident, he has been coaching elementary school athletes for more than 30 years. He has been involved in volleyball and cross country running as well as track and field. Most recently, Phillips has spent the last seven years as a volunteer with the South Simcoe/Dufferin Track and Field Club. The last four years, he has been the club president, presiding over training sites in Barrie, Bradford, Tottenham, Collingwood, Midland and most recently, Kitchener-Waterloo. He’s responsible for a club that has 13 coaches and upwards of 130 athletes, many of themtraining year-round and at the elite level for their age groups. In fact, one of the club’s athletes, and a second athlete who is a former club member, are nominated for the Barrie Amateur Athlete of the Year award for 1993. He got involved with SSD through his coaching of elementary school track and cross-country runners. On the volleyball court, Phillips has coached elementary and secondary school teams, Ontario Volleyball Association club teams and spent eight years as the coach of the Georgian College women’s team. He started at Georgian in 1976-77 and helped build a program that earned an Ontario bronze medal in his final season. The next year, with many of the athletes he’d trained, the team won the Ontario championship and went on to place fourth atthe Canadian college championships. He did all this while raising a family in Barrie, where he has resided since 1952. Today, Phillips has backed off a bit on his involvement in volleyball, though he still helps out with his school’s teams. He continues to serve as the president of the SSD track club.

Ron Andrews has a short but very successful history as a rugby coach at Barrie Central Collegiate. He was coach of the Central teams that captured the Georgian Bay boys rugby teams championships in 1996, 1995 and 1994. In both 1996 and 1994 his teams went on to capture the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association’s (OFSSA) senior boys’ high school rugby (AAA) championships. In 1995 Andrews’ Central team came away from the OFSSA championship with a silver medal. In 1996, the Team recorded 17 wins, 0 lossesand scored 508 points, while allowing only 39 against. Andrews is also involved with provincial rugby. He was co-coach of 1996 Ontario Rugby Union Under 19-team which won a silver medal at the 1996 Canadian championship. He has been named coach of the team for 1997 Canadian Summer Games in Manitoba. Andrews also served as an assistant coach with Canadian Under-17 team which recorded four wins and one loss. Two members of Central team were on the Under-17 squad. He has once more been named assistant coach for 1997 Canadian team. Andrews is the Head of the physical education department at Barrie Central Collegiate. He also served as a member of Red Storey Restoration Committee

Rusty Hastings coached his 1996-97 Barrie Minor Hockey Association minor novice AAA club to the Ontario Minor Hockey Association AAA championship. Over the 1996-97 season the team recorded 54 wins, seven losses and eight ties. They had a 48-game unbeaten streak and won five tournaments.

Now in her final year of teaching in the Simcoe County Separate School System, Bianca McAleer has combined her love of teaching with coaching a wide variety of school teams over her entire career. In the last 10 years, Bianca has enjoyed enormous success coaching boys volleyball students in grades six, seven and eight. They are at a stage where they can see their skills grow dramatically and Bianca’s coaching has always stressed skill development. In her third year of coaching Boys Volleyball, St. Monica’s won the Simcoe County Championships, a competition that involves over 100 eligible teams. Since then, the St. Monica’s Boys Volleyball team has been a force at the County level every year. To attain this consistency over the years is quite remarkable when approximately half of the players are new each season. Bianca McAleer’s dedication and commitment are as legendary as are her 7:45 am practices.

John Knapp’s name is synonymous with Basketball at Barrie North Collegiate. In his years as a coach at North, he has coached 22 boys’ teams and 14 girls’ teams in over 900 games and these teams have won more than 75 percent of these games. His teams were in the playoffs in 34 of 36 seasons. Knapp’s teams have won 9 GBSSA Championships, an OFSSA Bronze and an OFSSA Silver Medal. Winning is very important to John, but it is not the most important outcome to his coaching. He is more concerned with the development of his players as people. His philosophical approach teaches the importance of hard work and dedication along with putting the game into perspective. Knapp is the co-founder of the Barrie Royals city basketball program and has continued his involvement with the Royals for the last eleven years as a coach in over 200 games. His teams have won four OBA Championships and two OBA bronze medals. John Knapp’s commitment to basketball extends to player development where he has spent the last 17 years running mini-camps for elementary aged children. He has coachedat four different camps in the US and two in Canada. In his 22 years of coaching, John Knapp has had an enormous impact on the game of Basketball in Barrie.

Craig Pearsall has a passion for hockey. At 22 years old and in his first year coaching, he was the head coach for the Rival Office Solutions team that played in the Barrie Major Peewee Division of the Barrie Minor Hockey Association. The team colours were a bright orange and the team was nicknamed the “Pylons”. The team lost every game they played in the regular season. Pearsall in spite of this record taught his team how to lose gracefully. The most important thing that the team learned was that the game must be fun. Coach Pearsall said he would dye his hair orange if the team won in the playoffs. All that he asked was that each player try to be the best that they could be. This philosophy paid off. The team won the Barrie “A” Championship and Craig dyed his hair. At the team banquet, every parent and player thanked Craig Pearsall for the impact that he had made on their lives.

Peter Millsap has been a coach in the Eastview Collegiate’s Volleyball program for the last 11 years. In that time, his teams have never missed a GBSSA Final Four tournament and have won the GBSSA Championship an amazing seven times. In 1999, Eastview won the bronze medal at OFSAA in “AA” competition and in 2000, they won the silver medal competing at the highest “AAA” level finishing their season with a remarkable 39-2 record. Milisap also coaches at the club level having led the Brampton West Side Volleyball Club to a bronze medal in the Canadian Juvenile Championships in 1999. In 2000, Milisap’s local Georgian Cubs competed in the National Championship in Winnipeg. He has a reputation at every level for promoting a sense of fair play, effort and sportsmanship. Peter Millsap strongly believes in building individual character and giving each player the opportunity to compete at the highest level. “I’m glad you coached my son,” said one of many very proud parents.

When you look at Steve Porter’s Resume, you would be amazed about the depth of his commitment to sports and coaching. As a teacher at Barrie Central Collegiate, his impact on their sports program was immediate. In 1998, he coached the Junior Football team to the GBSSA semi-finals. In 1999, he took the Senior Football team, a team that had been defunct for a year and coached them to a GBSSA Championship. In the same year, 1999, Steve coached the Boys Senior Basketball team to a bronze medal in the OFSSA Championship. The basketball team was a GBSSA finalist in 2001and 2002 and won the GBSSA Championship again in 2003 with Steve as their coach. Steve helped coach the Senior Boys Rugby team to the OFSSA gold medal in 2002. This team has medaled in last 10 OFSSA Championships winning gold 4 times. He is the past President of the GBSSA, a member of the Barrie Royals Basketball Club executive, an approved Basketball Referee, a Barrie Men’s’ Flag Football Referee and a member of the Barrie Slo-Pitch Umpires Association. Steve has also been involved with the Barrie Royals as a coach for the last 9 years and led the 1998 Juvenile Basketball team to a provincial gold medal. In 2001, Steve was chosen by Basketball Ontario to coach at the Nike All Canada Basketball camp and for the last 2 years he has been the coach of the JDP Central West (Ontario) elite development team.

Tim Lem began his long term commitment to coaching high school rugby at Eastview Secondary School. He began as assistant coach to the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame, 1993 coach of the year Jim Hamilton. Tim learned well and brought his skills to Barrie Central in 1995. Under his leadership the Central girls rugby program has become recognized as one of the best in the province and have the records to back it up. For the past five years Lem has guided the Central senior girls rugby team to championship finishes at the Georgian Bay Secondary School Association (GBSSA) championships. This provided the teams the opportunity to participate in the last five Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association (OFSAA) provincial championships. In 1999 they came in fourth. They pick it up a notch in 2000 with a bronze medal finish. In 2001 they captured the first of two gold medals in 3 years. A silver was won in 2002. The team was another power house in 2003 when they picked up their second Gold. A number of his players have also been selected to both Ontario Provincial and Canadian National teams. Lem is very proud of his teams and treats them as a family with one common goal.

Steve Kelman was the 2004 recipient of the “Kort Award” This award was presented by the Barrie Royals Basketball Club to recognize his significant contribution to the sport of basketball in the City of Barrie. Kelman received the award not just because of his coaching but because he is also a supportive parent, a Basketball official and a community volunteer who works towards providing athletic programs for all athletes. Kelman has been the Head Basketball Coach at Eastview Secondary School in Barrie since 2002. During that time he has directed the development of both the girls and boys basketball programs while coaching the junior boys basketball team. His team is presently the two-time GBSSA AAAA Junior Boys Basketball Champions as well as being the two-time City of Barrie Junior Boys Champions. While Kelman is currently one of the Barrie Royals’ respected coaches, he does not just focus on the elite athlete. He was instrumental in re-organizing a defunct junior boys Spring League in Barrie; one in which all boys from age 13 to 15 could have a fun recreational activity. This spring Steve has over 60 boys registered and playing.

Ian Pavlik has worked with the Special Olympics Alpine Race Team for the past five years as the Technical Head Coach. He has spent hours on and off the hill, preparing and leading the Dry-land Program each fall. During the skiing season, he is responsible for the technical programs of 35 individual racers and also coordinates the setting of the race course. Ian’s attitude is extremely supportive and all of the athletes and coaches look up to him for his leadership and knowledge. Ian gives of his time and expertise freely even with the responsibilities of a young family and running his own business. The results speak for themselves. Eight of the 12 racers on Region 6’s team come from his team. He has also served as the Regional Head Coach at the Provincial Winter Games held in Barrie.

Bert Logan is one of the many valued coaches in Barrie Minor Hockey Association. Bert started coaching hockey 23 years ago and has coached 22 different teams during that time. He started coaching in the Barrie Minor Hockey Association four years ago. He has coached the Atom AA, Minor Peewee AA, Peewee AA and now the Atom AA Rep teams. During this time, his teams have won 8 tournaments, 2 Ontario Minor Hockey Association Championships and in 2006 they had the honor of winning the Ontario Hockey Federation Championship for all Pee Wee AA teams in Ontario. Bert and his wife Betty-Anne also created the Barrie Christian Pond Hockey League, a non contact league for players from 4 to 18 years of age. The league is in its ninth year of operation with over 550 boys and girls participating in the League. Emphasis is on having fun with all players receiving equal ice time and trophies for their participation and efforts during the year. Bert and Betty-Anne were presented with the Order of the Spirit Catcher Award by Barrie City Council last November.

Greg Johnston began coaching in the Barrie Sharks house league for girl’s hockey in 2003. He has coached with the Sharks organization for five years. In 2005/2006 Greg coached the Sharks Atom AA Rep team to the North Metro Atom League Championship. In 2007/2008 his Pee Wee Rep team moved up to AA and won gold at the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) Provincial Championships. As a result the OWHA invited the team to represent Ontario at the World Youth Hockey Tournament in Quebec. At the tournament the Sharks outscored their opponents 23-7, had three shutouts, but had to settle for Silver after a 1-0 overtime loss in the championship game. For the last five years Greg has also been co-instructor of the Barrie Figure skating Club/Mariposa power skating school for young athletes. The school is co-ed and is attended by an increasing number of girls each year. For three years he was an instructor with Storm Ice, a Toronto Hockey Clinic for AAA, OHL, NCAA and Pro players. In the summer of 2007 he started the Greg Johnston Hockey Academy for Girls and was recently selected to Coach the Barrie Sharks Bantam AA team for 2008/2009. Greg was also a highly respected coach of girl’s soccer, in Barrie, for eight years.

An accomplished NHL hockey player in his own right Greg Hotham has been giving back to his community through coaching hockey. As an assistant coach of the AHL Newmarket Saints he gained valuable experience which led him to be assistant coach of the 1991-92 Junior B Barrie Colts who with 41 wins, 1 loss ended up first overall. From there he went on to be Assistant and Head Coach in the Barrie AAA Icemen organization for five years taking a Pee Wee team to the OMHA finals. This past year Hotham was appointed Head Coach of the Provincial Junior A Couchiching Terriers. The team finished first in the 38 team league with a record of 38 wins and 3 losses. His team ranked second in goals scored with 267 goals. Their 110 goals against was tops in the league. Couchiching’s success was also displayed in their power play. They lead the league in this category with a success rate of 25.08%. Their penalty killing was second with an 89.27% average. The Terriers were ranked fifth, in Canada, in the Canadian Junior Hockey League year end ratings

Scott Jackson has been an active volunteer and successful coach for a number of organizations. He has coached numerous championship teams beginning with the Georgian Grizzlies OCCA champions in 1990. In 1991 his Creemore Senior team were OHA Champions. In 2003 the Orillia Novice A under his guidance were OMHA champions . He has also taken four other minor Hockey teams to the OMHA finals. In 2009, Jackson’s Barrie Minor Hockey Bantam A team won the OMHA championship. Jackson was appointed coach of the 2009/2010 BMHA Minor Midget A team and immediately faced a difficult situation. One of the players, Adam Fedosoff, had a relapse and began anew his battle with leukemia. Jackson organized the BMHA equipment swap at the NTR rink. With the assistance of his team players and their families, they money raised went to assist the Fedosoff family in a difficult time. With Jackson’s guidance, the players of the team rallied to support their teammate by organizing a team visitation schedule, pre-game chalk talks with Adam by cell phone, photo galleries with game up dates and numerous tournament championships in Adams honour. All of this was to ensure that Adam was surrounded by team support. The coach, of course, took his turns at visiting Adam in Sick Kids. Jackson has offered to continue to organize the BMHA‘s annual equipment exchange. Jackson’s 2009/2010 Minor Midget A team went on to win the York Simcoe league championship. Through his businesses, Jackson also regularly donates gifts either in kind or financially to the BMHA community efforts. Jackson is well respected within amateur hockey communities and players gravitate to him always eager to meet his coaching expectations.

John Chalmers was an accomplished athlete in his youth, after his playing day ended it was a natural transition to coaching. He has been a volunteer coach with the Barrie Soccer Club for the past 15 years. Like most volunteers his involvement began with the coaching of his children at the house league level and progressing to all star and then to Rep Level. His teams, always competitive, improved year after year reaching the highest level of youth play in the Ontario Youth Soccer League in 2006. The team reached the Ontario Cup semi finals –the highest level achieved by a Barrie team at that time. John then continued with the core group of this team into the competitive world of women’s soccer joining the Ontario Women’s Soccer League. In 2010, Chalmers’ continued dedication to the talented young women paid dividends. The team rose from the Regional level to the Provincial level and became the #1 ranked women’s team in the Ontario Women’s Soccer League (OWSL). The team went on to win the Ontario Cup. This was a first for a Barrie soccer team, male or female. It was also the first time that a Barrie team qualified to represent Ontario at the Canadian Women’s National Club Championships.

Joe Denes participated at a national level as a decathlete and is a former Olympic bobsled competitor. He gained a great amount of experience that he now passes on to those he coaches as his way of giving back. Denes has been the Track and Field Head Coach at Innisdale Secondary School since 2001 and he has coached 11 OFSAA medalists and 35 OFSAA finalists. In 2010, Denes joined the South Simcoe Dufferin Track and Field Club as Combined Events Coach. He also gives his time as a basketball coach with the Barrie Royals Basketball Club. Denes is an Associate Coach with the Innnisdale Secondary School Basketball team and a hockey coach with the Oro Minor Hockey Association. His philosophy on coaching is approached with three specific goals. First to encourage the athletes to experience the enjoyment that sports can bring to them, secondly to help them develop their skills to the best of their ability, and lastly to help each athlete develop life skills that will assist them in becoming better citizens. In 2011 His Innisdale Secondary School Senior Girls Track Team won the 2011-2012 GBSAA overall team Championship and the Senior Girls won an OFSAA Championship. Under his tutelage, he helped Ocian Archer win silver in the 400m at the OFSAA championships and a bronze at the Pan-Am Junior Championships. He also coached Junior Solomon, a member of the Provincial team, to an OFSAA finalist position, to a Provincial Silver medal in the Octathlon and at the National Champion Octathlon. Erin Hodge, another of his athletes, was an OFSAA Finalist and a Youth National Finalist –Hurdles. Denes also coached Dylan Golow who had a 5th place finish at the Canadian Junior Championships. The Innisdale Basketball team, that he was associated with, were Georgian Bay finalists. He also coached the Barrie Royals Basketball Girls (Bantam) to a top 10 ranking in the province.

Rob Roy played ball in Barrie as a youth in the Barrie Minor Baseball organization and won a Midget Canadian Championship as a premiere shortstop. His playing career took him to the Inter-County Baseball League where he played with the Guelph Royals and the Barrie Baycats. He also played for Team Ontario in the Canada Games. As a student of the game, he used his knowledge to give back as a coach. He joined the Barrie Minor Baseball organization as a first year coach in 2012. He developed his players and they grew throughout the season to eventually win an All Ontario Championship. Rob came through the Barrie Minor Organization and when his playing career ended, he chose to give back the knowledge he gained over the years to young players that one day may emulate his dedication and success.

Nicholas Cryer started coaching wrestling in Barrie in 2003. A year later, with Al Emond and Brad Chestnut, he helped create the Kempenfelt Bay Wrestling Club. He does most of his coaching there and with the Bear Creek High School team. Since 2003, Nicholas’ coaching staff has placed 7 members on Team Canada; 19 athletes have gone on to compete at the University level or higher; 32 medals at the National Championship (including 11 Gold medals); 17 OFSSA medals (including 4 Gold medals); and 56 Provincial medals (including 26 Gold medals). In the summer of 2012, Nicholas Cryer took 20 athletes to London to participate in a tour of Britain, and compete in a tournament against Great Britain, the United States, and Austria, where they finished in first place. The team then relaxed by watching Canada finish in second place in the women’s event at the London Olympics.His Juvenile Women’s team placed first at the Provincial Championships, providing Barrie with its first ever Provincial Wrestling Title. The team also placed 3rd in combined men’s and women’s events. In March, his high school team competed at the Junior Nationals in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Bear Creek was the only high school club in attendance and competed against the best University clubs in the Country. All of these teams have at least 1 full time paid coach (usually 3), as well as significant operating budgets. His high school team placed 6th, beating three of the National Training centres and most of the University teams. This would have to be considered an extremely huge accomplishment for a high school level team.

Five of his athletes competed in the 2013 Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke, Que.. They captured five gold, one silver and one bronze. They also received gold medals for their part inhelping the Ontario Provincial male and female teams acquire first place in the Games. In 2013 Cryer was named Coach of Team Canada’s Cadets for the Pan Am Games in Medellin Columbia. The team placed 4th in the Mens and Womens division.

Angus Roy, a native of Mississauga, was a promising young baseball pitcher in the late 1990’s. He played for four years at the Valparaiso University in Indiana. Roy returned to Canada to attend the University ofToronto in 2002. In 2003, the Boston Red Sox organization invited him to play for their Class A affiliate in Augusta GA.In 2004, Roy returned to Canada to play for the Barrie Baycats. This began an 11-year association with Barrie’s entry in Intercounty Baseball League (IBL). In his second year, Roy helped Barrie capture their first IBL Championship. Over the years, Roy has been one of the IBL’s top pitchers. He has also been an IBL all star on several occasions. In 2007, Roy took on the added position of Field Manager for the Baycats. Barrie has reached the IBL finals in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013, each time losing to the Brantford Red Sox.

In January of 2014, the Baycats announced that Roy was chosen to be the team’s next General Manager and would also continue as Field Manager. The team responded to his leadership by finishing in first place in the 2014 regular season with a 30-6 record. In the playoffs, Barrie faced off with their nemesis, the Brantford Red Sox. The series went the full seven games. In the sixth game, Barrie came away with a decisive 14-4 win. In the series final game, in Barrie, Roy’s Baycats finally ended the Brantford Red Sox’s Championship streak with a 5-3 victory. The Baycats then took on the London Majors. London had finished the regular season in second place with a 23-13 record. The Baycats swept London in four games to capture the Dominico Trophy for the IBL championship. In his first year as General Manager, Roy was successful in guiding his team to a first place finish and to the first IBL championship since 2005. In September the Intercounty Baseball League announced Angus Roy was chosen as the First All-Star Team Manager

Joey Rampton, born in St. Paul’s Michigan, was a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL and went on to play for Western University where his team won the CIAU National Championship. He also attended the University of Toronto and played varsity hockey while attending medical school. In the 1984 entry draft, Joey was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 5th round.Joey has been active as a coach in Barrie Minor Lacrosse from 2008 to 2011, winning the 2010-2011 “B” Ontario Lacrosse Association Championship. Rampton has been a BMHA coaching staff member since 2008. Joey Rampton, as head coach, led the Central Ontario “AA” Wolves to a “AAA” Hockey Tournament Championship in the 2007/2008 season. His teams were York Simcoe Hockey League Champions for 3 years. In the BMHA, Joey has coached his hockey teams to 3 Ontario Minor Hockey Association Championships (2012-13, 2013-14, and 2014-15). His teams have earned 2 International Silverstick Championships, in 2013-14 and again in 2014-15. Since 2012, the BMHA teams that Rampton has coached have been ranked nationally. Currently the Bantam “AA” team is ranked #2 nationally. For the 2016-17 season, Rampton will be coaching the Minor Midget “AA” team for the BMHA.

Joey Rampton is a valued BMHA volunteer who dedicates countless hours towards the Association and the teams he coaches. As a veteran coach and volunteer, he often assists other coaches within the BMHA with practice plans, team challenges, and offers advice when requested. He is very well recognized and respected within the BMHA community. When not coaching, Rampton is a member of the Vital Organs band who play in a number of local events and festivals such as Battle of the Bands (raising funds for the McLaren Art Centre) and the RVH Crystal Classic (Raising funds for the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre). He is also a practicing physician at the Barrie Chronic pain Clinic and the RVH.

Mr.Trevor Cowan epitomizes the term volunteerism. He is a past president of the Barrie Trojan Swim Club, and for the past 6 years he has volunteered his time and expertise towards the successful internal governance of this not for profit competitive swim team. Trevor Cowan’s volunteer experience includes over 16 years as a volunteer swimming official. He routinely acts as competition coordinator, referee, and swim meet manager; ensuring that the Barrie Trojans are able to successfully host local swim meets. He spends countless hours training and mentoring the swimming team’s volunteer officials to facilitate success and progression in their volunteer officiating pursuits. This training extends to all of the Huronia Region. As the Regional Director for Swim Ontario, he continues to provide his broad expertise and mentorship towards developing local programming in the sport of swimming throughout this area of Ontario. Trevor has conducted and evaluated countless swim officials clinics and evaluation sessions.

Provincially, Mr. Cowan is the chair of Swim Ontario Officials Committee supporting more than 8,000 volunteers. He has been an instructor, mentor and official’s evaluator for Swim Ontario for many years. In 2016 he was given the provincial award as Administrator of the Year, by Swim Ontario. Trevor was a member of the Organizing Committee for the inaugural 2014 Ontario Junior International, 2015 Speedo Can Am Para-Swimming Championships and the 2015 Canadian Swimming Trials.

Nationally, Trevor Cowan donates countless hours coordinating meet entry, timing and scoring for Swimming Canada National Championships. He is Nationally Certified to provide mentorship support and provides evaluations for the highest level of swim officials (level 4 and 5) in Canada.

Trevor routinely plans and runs 50m aquatic events provincially, across Canada and internationally. Most recently he has managed swimming components of seven (7) multi-sport games; including the 2015 Pan Am Games and Para Pan Am Games in Toronto and the 2017 Invictus Games,at the Toronto Pan Sports Centre. This past April, 2019, Mr. Cowan acted as Meet Manager for the 2019 Canadian Swimming Trials and he has been asked to take on the role of National Meet Director for the 2020 Canadian Olympic Swimming Trials.