Paul Hopper & Martin McCrone

Basketball Coaches

Paul Hopper has coached numerous Ontario basketball teams including a Bronze medal in Division 1 with the Barrie Royals Major Midget Girls in 2008. He has coached and mentored four athletes who have received Division 1 scholarships. In 2015, Paul won the Marr Ross Award for excellence in coaching basketball in Simcoe County by the Board of Education.

Martin McCrone has also coached basketball for over 30 years at elementary and high schools in Simcoe County, winning four Georgian Bay Secondary School Association titles as a coach. He has also ran numerous basketball leagues and coached teams representing Ontario at many provincial tournaments. As a player, Martin won four GBSSA titles and played varsity basketball for three different universities. He was also a member of the team that represented Canada at the World Masters Games in Australia.

The duo of Paul Hopper and Martin McCrone are being inducted together due to their strong dedication to working together to enhance the local basketball community. As co-owners, they ran Thunderhoops basketball camp for 27 years. As well, they have coached and mentored hundreds of athletes for many years across the county, providing a platform for young adults to enjoy and grow in a sport they also both love.