2011 Brock Badgers Basketball Gala a big success

The Brock men's and women's basketball teams inducted five individuals into the Brock Basketball Hall of Fame. In the men's second induction ceremony, they added three former standouts which included Mike McGinnis, Gord Wood and Kevin Moore. In the women's inaugural ceremony, they inducted former head coach Pat Woodburn and five-year standout Diane Hilko.

Mike McGinnis played two seasons for the Brock men's basketball team from 1969-71. In two seasons, he was a two-time OIAA First Team All-Star and two-time CIS Second Team All-Canadian (1970, 1971), amassing 1,190 career points. In the Brock record books, he ranks twice in the top five for most field goals made in a single season (tied 1st - 316 – 1969-70) and (5th – 279 -1970- 71). In 1969-70, he led the OIAA in scoring and still holds the Brock single season record for highest points per game as a rookie averaging 24.3 PPG. Also in his rookie campaign, McGinnis helped lead Brock to a second place finish in the OIAA making the playoffs for the first time in school history. McGinnis was named the Brock Male Athlete of the Year and Team MVP in 1970-71.

Gord Wood played for the Brock men's basketball team for five seasons, from 1988-93. In 1991-92, he helped lead the Badgers to their first CIAU National Championship being named a CIAU First Team All-Canadian, Championship MVP and Brock Male Athlete of the Year. Wood ranks sixth all-time in career scoring (2,388 points), second in career rebounds (1,514) and finished with a career field goal percentage of 55.5% (970-for-1748). He was named an OUA All-Star three consecutive times (1990, 1991, 1992), two-time Badgers Most Valuable Player (1991, 1992) and OUA West MVP (1992). Wood was also inducted into the Brock Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.

Kevin Moore played for the Brock men's basketball team for three seasons, from 1985-88. In 80 career games he averaged 17.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. From the field he shot 50.9% (565-for-1111) and 72.6% from the charity stripe (265-for-365). In the Brock record books, Moore ranks in the Top 10 in three categories; career rebounding average (4th - 9.0 RPG), career scoring average (9th - 17.5 PPG), and career rebounds (7th - 721). He also ranks 20th all-time in career scoring with 1,396 career points. He was a three-time OUAA All-Star (1986, 1987, 1988) and was the Badgers Most Valuable Player in 1986.

Diane Hilko played for the Brock women's basketball team for five seasons, from 1978-84. Hilko finished her career with 743 career points and holds the Brock single season record for highest field goal percentage (58.6% - 1983-84). She was named Brock's Female Athlete of the Year in 1978-79 and was a four-time OWIAA All-Star (1979 1980, 1982, 1984) and three-time Brock Most Valuable Player (1979, 1980, 1982). Hilko was also inducted into the Brock Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001.

Pat Woodburn was the Brock women's basketball coach for seven seasons from 1977-1984. In seven seasons at the helm, he posted a 119-57 (.676) overall record, which was highlighted by the 1982-83 season where he led the Badgers to a school best 30-3 overall record capturing the OWIAA Championship and bronze medal at the CIAU National Championships. In 1982-83 and 1983-84 he led Brock to back to-back OUA West Division Titles with a combined 24-0 regular season record.

It was also the fifth annual Jimmy Rose Lifetime Achievement Awards which was started by the Brock Basketball Team in 2005. The two recipients of the award this year are Don MacDougall and the late Wynand Groen.

You would be hard-pressed to find someone that has put as much time and effort into basketball for one town as Don MacDougall. Don's basketball interests began as a 5-year player at Niagara District Secondary School where he won team MVP honours in 1959 in his final season. Don won't say much about his playing days, but he will say that one of his highlights was being a teammate of Wally Dick, who went on to be an All-Canadian at Brock University.

Although Don did not make the varsity team at the University of Western Ontario, he never lost interest in basketball. After completing his history degree and attending teacher's college, Don began coaching basketball immediately at his alma mater, NDSS. He coached boys and/or girls basketball for 31 years at NDSS beginning in 1966 until he retired from teaching in 1997.

Don's first major success as a coach came in 1979 when his Sr. Boys Trojans won 'AA' SOSSA and then went on to capture 'AA' OFSAA Gold. As NDSS's enrolment declined, his boys teams continued to impress at the 'A' level. From 1985 to 1987, his Sr. Boys teams captured three consecutive 'A' SOSSA titles and won OFSAA Gold and Bronze in 1985 and 1987 respectively. In 1995, his Sr. Boys captured another SOSSA championship.

Don's coaching resume also includes some very strong Sr. Girls teams. His girls won 'A' SOSSA four times in the span of 1988 to 1993. Also in that time, they won the City Championship four times and won OFSAA Silver in 1988 and Bronze in 1993.

Don credits the competitiveness of basketball in the Niagara Region for much of the success of his teams at the provincial level.

Although well-known as a high school coach, Don also helped develop elementary school players when he founded Niagara Minor Basketball in 1975. He was one of the pioneers in teaching young players fundamental skills using lower baskets and smaller sized basketballs. In the summers, you could often find Don coaching at basketball camps including Brock University, Niagara University, and All-Pro.

After retiring from teaching and coaching at the high school level, he served as an assistant coach for Ken Murray at Brock University for three seasons. Since then, his coaching efforts have slowed down, but don't be surprised if you see him coaching quietly from the stands somewhere while watching his grandchildren play.

Wynand Groen began his teaching career at St. Davids Public School where he spent 32 years teaching math, science and physical education, coaching basketball and volleyball. He was passionate about sports, about education, and about values.

He taught and coached thousands of local students—in some cases two generations—instilled values, provided guidance, treated them with respect and passed on the spirit of competition while also teaching good sportsmanship.

Groen, who had one or at most two classes to draw from, won games against schools of 1,000 kids or more- and in his early days was doing it without a school gym, practicing in a classroom with a high ceiling most of the year, and outside on the few days when the weather was good enough. The team would practice every morning and would compete in 50 games a year, half the number of other teams.

When he passed away last year from cancer, it was decided the St. Davids School gym would be formally dedicated to the man who spent so much of his life there.

"That was perhaps his greatest gift, teaching his students by example that with hard work, determination and motivation, they could accomplish anything." Don MacDougall, fellow Jimmy Rose Memorial Award Inductee

Past winners of the Jimmy Rose Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award include Brian Mulligan (2005), Murray Mulligan (2006), Larry Miller (2007), Ron Lemon (2008), Bob Coull (2008), Jay Triano (2009) and Ken Walsh (2009).

The event was also highlighted by Interim Director of Athletics Chris Critelli presenting the late Bill Rootes with a Director's Award for his contribution to the Brock and Niagara basketball community. The first winners of the Bill Rootes Memorial Scholarship were current Badgers Andrew Ferguson and Jay Fleming.

The Brock Men's Basketball Team awarded long-time supporter and local businessman Peter Partridge with the newly formed Brock Booster Club Award for his contribution to the program.

Also receiving awards were two of niagara's top high school players Patrick Pilato of St. Francis and Kelly Harris of Smithville Christian who were named 2011 Mr. and Ms. Niagara Basketball. In addition, the Badgers named their Niagara All-Star team which included Pilato, Matt Poirier (Governor Simcoe), Cooper Rigg (Ridley College), Majdi Herari (Denis Morris), Chris Louis (A.N. Myer) and Antonio Carbone (Welland Notre Dame).