Basketball players from the 1967-80 era call out the AHSS coaches for their coaching and mentorship and for making them better people.
Let’s start us off with a little history of the game of basketball….
The game of basketball as it is known today was created by Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian, eh, in December 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts, to condition young athletes during the cold months. Naismith was a physical education instructor at YMCA International Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. Basketball consisted of peach baskets and a soccer style ball. The objective of the game was to throw the basketball into the fruit baskets nailed to the lower railing of the gym balcony. Every time a point was scored, the game was halted so the janitor could bring out a ladder and retrieve the ball. After a while, the bottoms of the fruit baskets were removed. The first public basketball game was played in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 11, 1892.
Originally, there were only thirteen rules of "basketball". A few examples….
1. A player cannot run with the ball, the player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it. An allowance was made for a player who catches the ball when running.
2. If either side makes three consecutive fouls it counted as a goal (i.e. basket) for the opponent.
3. A goal was made when the ball was thrown into the basket and stays there. If the ball rests on the edge and the opponent moves the basket it counted as a goal.
4. The time was fifteen-minute halves, with five-minute rests between.
5. The side making the most goals in that time was declared the winner. In the case of a draw, the game may, by agreement of the captains, be continued until another goal was made.
The sport of basketball was first seen in the 1904 Olympics but was not part of the official program of events until 1936. During the 1936 Olympics, the United States team won the first Olympic basketball gold medal defeating Canada by a score of 19–8. Teams playing during the Olympics were given no time-outs and had no limit to how many seconds a player could stay in the lane and back-court. Two substitutions were given to teams and only seven athletes were allowed to participate in the event.
The United States ruled international basketball by winning all of the Olympic Games up until the Munich Games in Germany in 1972. At the 1972 Olympic Games the United States was handed their first loss at the Olympic Games by the Soviet men's basketball team.
Let’s now turn to basketball at AHSS….
Basketball came a little later to AHSS than 1891 😊 Boys’ basketball has been on the winter sports calendar since the formation of Almaguin and its predecessor, the South River-Sundridge Secondary School.
Basketball was not the most popular boys’ sport during the 70s. One of the basketball coaches suggested that ice-fishing, snowmobiling and hockey probably ranked above basketball.
Boys were generally first introduced to basketball as part of the grade 7 and 8 physical education classes at their senior public school. Like many other sports the more time the boys spent in the gym dribbling and taking shots the better they became. In the 80s, the senior boys’ basketball team and their coach would go to the senior public schools to run some drills and scrimmage against the local school – this helped to develop interest in basketball earlier in the boys’ school years.
There were a slew of basketball coaches over the years – Gary Hammond, Gerry May, Don Bull, Norm Irwin, Bill DeVries, Bill Atkinson, Bob Bisbee, Bob Main, Phil Aubin, Steve McKee, John Smith and Dennis Danyluk. A number of basketball players from the 1967-80 era specifically called out the coaches for their coaching and mentorship and for making them better people. It was often mentioned that the coaches gave their time for after-school practices and for road trips to the other high schools in the Muskoka Parry Sound area – the coaches would get home late at night from the road trips to see their young families and prepare for classes the next day.
The following are memories that some former team members shared:
The game of basketball as it is known today was created by Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian, eh, in December 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts, to condition young athletes during the cold months. Naismith was a physical education instructor at YMCA International Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. Basketball consisted of peach baskets and a soccer style ball. The objective of the game was to throw the basketball into the fruit baskets nailed to the lower railing of the gym balcony. Every time a point was scored, the game was halted so the janitor could bring out a ladder and retrieve the ball. After a while, the bottoms of the fruit baskets were removed. The first public basketball game was played in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 11, 1892.
Originally, there were only thirteen rules of "basketball". A few examples….
1. A player cannot run with the ball, the player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it. An allowance was made for a player who catches the ball when running.
2. If either side makes three consecutive fouls it counted as a goal (i.e. basket) for the opponent.
3. A goal was made when the ball was thrown into the basket and stays there. If the ball rests on the edge and the opponent moves the basket it counted as a goal.
4. The time was fifteen-minute halves, with five-minute rests between.
5. The side making the most goals in that time was declared the winner. In the case of a draw, the game may, by agreement of the captains, be continued until another goal was made.
The sport of basketball was first seen in the 1904 Olympics but was not part of the official program of events until 1936. During the 1936 Olympics, the United States team won the first Olympic basketball gold medal defeating Canada by a score of 19–8. Teams playing during the Olympics were given no time-outs and had no limit to how many seconds a player could stay in the lane and back-court. Two substitutions were given to teams and only seven athletes were allowed to participate in the event.
The United States ruled international basketball by winning all of the Olympic Games up until the Munich Games in Germany in 1972. At the 1972 Olympic Games the United States was handed their first loss at the Olympic Games by the Soviet men's basketball team.
Let’s now turn to basketball at AHSS….
Basketball came a little later to AHSS than 1891 😊 Boys’ basketball has been on the winter sports calendar since the formation of Almaguin and its predecessor, the South River-Sundridge Secondary School.
Basketball was not the most popular boys’ sport during the 70s. One of the basketball coaches suggested that ice-fishing, snowmobiling and hockey probably ranked above basketball.
Boys were generally first introduced to basketball as part of the grade 7 and 8 physical education classes at their senior public school. Like many other sports the more time the boys spent in the gym dribbling and taking shots the better they became. In the 80s, the senior boys’ basketball team and their coach would go to the senior public schools to run some drills and scrimmage against the local school – this helped to develop interest in basketball earlier in the boys’ school years.
There were a slew of basketball coaches over the years – Gary Hammond, Gerry May, Don Bull, Norm Irwin, Bill DeVries, Bill Atkinson, Bob Bisbee, Bob Main, Phil Aubin, Steve McKee, John Smith and Dennis Danyluk. A number of basketball players from the 1967-80 era specifically called out the coaches for their coaching and mentorship and for making them better people. It was often mentioned that the coaches gave their time for after-school practices and for road trips to the other high schools in the Muskoka Parry Sound area – the coaches would get home late at night from the road trips to see their young families and prepare for classes the next day.
The following are memories that some former team members shared:
- Card games were a staple on the long bus trips for road games
- The 1976-77 junior basketball team held a number of fundraisers for purposes of funding a road trip to Windsor. John Smith and Jim MacLachlan organized the road trip and rented a small bus for the trip to Windsor. On the Friday night, the boys’ crossed the 49th parallel to Detroit to see a Detroit Pistons game at the Cobo arena. The Pistons played in a “rough” part of town. After the game, John and Jim quickly herded all of the boys back to the bus only to find one of the boys was missing. John walked back to the Pistons arena and found the boy – the boy had simply decided to do a little exploring on his own in the “rough” part of Detroit. The following day (Saturday) they played two local high school teams winning one game and losing the other. On the Saturday night they went to see a University of Windsor Lancers basketball game. On Sunday they started the long trek home on the bus. The bus stopped in the Kitchener-Waterloo area for refueling and to let everyone stretch their legs. As they approached Barrie (about 2 hours later) it came to John and Jim’s attention the same student who had gone missing in Detroit was not on the bus. Initially, John and Jim thought the boys were pulling a gag on the them. Well, that was not to be; again the student had simply decided to do some exploring on his own again. The teachers called the gas station to find the student was still waiting at the gas station so the teachers arranged for a taxi to take the student from Kitchener-Waterloo to Barrie – approximately a two-hour taxi ride. You can figure what that would cost! John and Jim emptied their wallets to pay for the taxi ride. The alternative would have been to turn the bus around (which would have been a four hour round trip) but the bus radiator was overheating so that was out of the question!
- One basketball player let it be known that he thought he was the best player on the team. As a result, the coach did not make him the team captain. The following year the basketball player kept his attitude in check and was made a co-captain. As the player admits now, basketball like many sports is a team game and he should have checked his attitude at the door….a good life lesson at an early age!
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Harlem Diplomats Visit AHSS
Does anyone remember the basketball game circa 1973-74 between the teachers and a few members of the senior boys’ basketball team, and the Harlem Diplomats? The Harlem Diplomats billed themselves as “The Funmakers of Basketball” capitalizing off the success of the Harlem Globetrotters.
Jim Buchan and Jim Calarco claim to have scored all of the points for the teachers; no other teachers scored a basket. Jim Calarco also remembers trying to take a jump shot and one of the Diplomats stepping on his foot. In another series, Jim Calarco was dribbling down the floor and it was quickly evident that he was not going to get by one of the Diplomats – the Diplomat player looked at Jim and challenged him to make the shot.
The Harlem Diplomats put on a tantalizing display of alley-oops, fadeaways and dunk shots.
Jim Buchan and Jim Calarco claim to have scored all of the points for the teachers; no other teachers scored a basket. Jim Calarco also remembers trying to take a jump shot and one of the Diplomats stepping on his foot. In another series, Jim Calarco was dribbling down the floor and it was quickly evident that he was not going to get by one of the Diplomats – the Diplomat player looked at Jim and challenged him to make the shot.
The Harlem Diplomats put on a tantalizing display of alley-oops, fadeaways and dunk shots.
Front row from left: Doug McDonald, Jim Calarco, Jim Buchan, 4 members of the Diplomat team Back row: Norm Raynor, Norm Holt, Bill Carr, George Gruzuk, Eric Hickey, Diplomat, Bill DeVries, Jim MacLachlan
Almaguin Basketball Association (ABA)
The ABA was the brainchild of Bill DeVries, Bob Bisbee and Phil Aubin, and started in the 1973-74 school year. The ABA was created to provide extra-curricular activities for those who wanted to play basketball after the winter season and for those who wanted to sharpen their skills. There were four teams representing the towns/villages of Burks Falls, Sundridge, South River and Powassan/Trout Creek. The Sundridge team was called the Sundridge Celtics. Memories have faded of the names of the other three teams.
The basketball games ran in the evenings (after the late buses) two nights a week. This meant that usually one of the grade 12 or 13 boys with a driver’s license and access to a vehicle would drive his team members home after the game. Debbie DeVries, Rhonda Attwell, Terry Lynn Schneider and other fine ladies over the years were credited with keeping the official time, recording fouls, tallying the score, etc.
It seems that the Sundridge Celtics were the dominant team (sorry to all the others)! As a result, starting in the 1977-78 school year the format was changed such that four captains were chosen and the captains participated in a draft of all of the other basketball players.
The season was short – each team played each other twice and then there was a playoff of the top two teams with the winner capturing the ABA trophy and bragging rights for the next year!
Again, a number of the former basketball players applauded the coaches at the time (DeVries, Bisbee, Smith, Aubin, Desjardins) for giving their time to another after-school activity.
A few words of wisdom
A few words of wisdom from the former basketball players:
A few words of wisdom from the former basketball players:
- Don’t limit yourself to one sport. When in high school compete in a number of sports, broaden your scope of activity and stay active
- Show respect for your coach, don’t take them for granted
- Leave it all on the court, play with heart
- Basketball is a team sport, the players win when the team wins
Notable boys’ basketball alumni
Brian Dellandrea – was an awesome shooter from anywhere on the court and would commonly play the full 32 minutes. John Smith noted that it was years afterward before he had a shooter of Brian’s quality again. Although well below six feet tall Brian could shoot over the opposition with a beautiful arc. Brian was before his time as the 3-point shot was introduced after he concluded his basketball career.
Craig McBride – Brian and Craig formed a fantastic one-two duo playing together through Midget, Junior and Senior. We lost count how many times Craig’s glasses were broken on the basketball court or soccer field. Craig and Brian shared the boys’ basketball most valuable player award for the 1978-79 season.
Norm Holt – another awesome shooter from anywhere on the court. Norm played a number of sports and was Male Athlete of the Year in 1974.
Brian Dellandrea – was an awesome shooter from anywhere on the court and would commonly play the full 32 minutes. John Smith noted that it was years afterward before he had a shooter of Brian’s quality again. Although well below six feet tall Brian could shoot over the opposition with a beautiful arc. Brian was before his time as the 3-point shot was introduced after he concluded his basketball career.
Craig McBride – Brian and Craig formed a fantastic one-two duo playing together through Midget, Junior and Senior. We lost count how many times Craig’s glasses were broken on the basketball court or soccer field. Craig and Brian shared the boys’ basketball most valuable player award for the 1978-79 season.
Norm Holt – another awesome shooter from anywhere on the court. Norm played a number of sports and was Male Athlete of the Year in 1974.
Championship teams
Muskoka Parry Sound Champions
Senior Boys: 1971-72
Junior Boys: 1973-74
Midget Boys: 1976-77
Junior Boys: 1976-77
Muskoka Parry Sound Champions
Senior Boys: 1971-72
Junior Boys: 1973-74
Midget Boys: 1976-77
Junior Boys: 1976-77
Team Photos
1968-69
Junior: Back row from left: Billy Black, Doug Pearson, Joey Thoma, George Gruzuk, Allan Shaw, Brad Hunt, Mr. Gerry May (Coach). Front: Ricky Rennie, Brady MacIntosh, Brad Stenning
Intermediate: Back row from left: Ray Coughlin, Ken Maeck, Ross McBride, Eldon MacIntosh, Doug Holt, Rob Brown, Bill Morris, Ron Maeck, Rick Gore. Front row: Rick Rennie (Manager), Mr. Bull (Coach), unknown
Senior: Back row from left: Leverne Yandon, Allan Dennis, Doug Webb, David Conlon, Don Stockman, Joe Major, Terry Brandt, John Pearson, John Pink. Front row: Mr. Bull (Coach), Mr. Erwin (Coach)
1969-70
Junior: From left: Malcolm Christie, Ron Arnold, Mike Dickerson, Tom Rheubottom, Norm Dyer, Bob Crosby, Ralph Labine, Guy McBride, Liam Hill
Intermediate: Top row from left: John Hiley, Tom Booth. Standing: Rick Rennie (Manager), Ron Maeck, Ken Hewitt, Tom Driscoll, Jim Maltby, Earl Anderson, Robert Brown, Ross McBride, Mr. Bill DeVries (Coach)
Senior: Standing from left: Steve Moore (Manager), Dave Balanuik, Doug Webb, Dave Conlon, Fred Conroy, Dave Newman, John Pearson, Mr. Bill DeVries (Coach). Kneeling: John Schmelefske, Tom Hummel, Dave Ross
1970-71
Junior: From left: Mr. Atkinson (Coach), Curt Gutjhar, Brian Bennison, Rob Rennie, Norm Holt, Steve Hanselman, Peter Hope, Liam Hill. Absent: Steve Leggett, Robert Rickward, Chris Lusty
Junior B: Standing from left: Mr. Bob Bisbee (Coach), Bill Burns, Pete Fitzsimmons, Jim Mannella, Larry Barry, Richard Robertson. Kneeling: Jim McKellar, Ken Morden, Tim Armstrong, Pete Joiner, Tom Aultman, Al Thompson
Intermediate: Standing from left: Scott Fraser (Manager), Bill Carr, Brady MacIntosh, John Hiley, Jim Maltby, George Gruzuk, Bob Bonser, Mike Burke, Bill McKenzie, Mr. Bill DeVries (Coach). Kneeling: Bob Burrows, Ralph Labine. Absent: Tom Rheubottom
Senior: Standing from left: Paul Pitkanen, Dave Harvey, Tom Booth, Dave Balanuik, John Torry, Rob Brown, Tom Driscoll, Dave Ross, Ross McBride, Rene Schneider, Jim Leigh, Dave Lock (Manager). Kneeling: Mr. Bill DeVries (Coach)
1971-72
Junior: From left: Peter Piper, Chuck Meharg, Steve Baxter, Jim Rheubottom, Eldon Briggs, Wayne Dellandrea, Peter Jansen, Mr. Bob Main (Coach), Brian Johnson, Brian Anderson, Rawn McBride, Andy Main, John Carney, Rick Edwards. Absent: Perry Lamb (Manager)
Intermediate: Back from left: Mike Coote, Norm Holt, Bob Bonser, Bill Carr, George Gruzuk, Norm Raynor, Ralph Labine, Bob Crosby, Mr. Phil Aubin (Coach), Front: Tim Bertrand, Ray Lamb, Howard Ney, Liam Hill, Brian Bennison, Curt Gutjhar, Eric Hickey.
Senior MPS Champions: Standing from left: Bob Baechler (Manager), Bob Burrows, Dave Cain, Jim Maltby, Rob Brown, Norm Raynor, Lloyd McLachlan, Mr. Bill DeVries (Coach). Seated: Paul Pitkanen, Mike Burke, Phil Hope, Rene Schneider, Mike Coote
1972-73
Midget: Back from left: Paul Peebles, Peter Piper, Rick Edwards, Bruce Downey, Mr. Bob Main (Coach). Keith Milne, Kirby McIntosh, Jamie Coote. Front: Dick Morden, John Sutton, Dan Kelly, Tim Bennison, Tom Jones
Junior: Front from left: Lee Thoma, Steve Hanselman, Curt Gutjhar, Rawn McBride, Jerry Perreault, Chuck Meharg. Back: Eric Hickey, Chris Lusty, Brian Johnson, Norm Holt, Bob Crosby, Brian Anderson, Wayne Dellandrea, Derrick Lee (Manager). Absent: Mr. Phil Aubin (Coach), Bernie Hofmann, Gary Lee
Senior: From left: Mr. Bill DeVries (Coach), Ralph Labine, Mike Coote, Norm Raynor, George Gruzuk, Bill Carr, Barry Ramsay, Tim Bertrand, John Arkwright (Manager). Absent: Joe Moreau, Tim Decker, Mike Burke (MVP)
1973-74
Midget: Back from left: Bill Lang, Bernie Hicks, Kirby McIntosh, Rob McLean, Peter Kidd, Bruce Bolten, Jim Burns, Pat Garvey, Mr. Bill DeVries (Coach). Front: Tim Frost, Peter Murdoch, Bob Attwell, Jim Farrell, John Forrington, Larry Vervaeke
Junior: Back from left: Jim O'Rourke, Wayne Dellandrea, Bernie Hofmann, Chris Lusty, John Jones, Jerry Pereault. Centre: Rawn McBride, Chuck Meharg, Will Drummond, Brian Johnson, Rick Edwards. Front: Dan Kelly, John Sutton, Jim Leggett, Frank Thoma, Bruce Downey, Phil Aubin (Coach)
Senior: From left: Mr. Bill DeVries (Coach), Eric Hickey, Norm Raynor, George Gruzuk, Bill Carr, Norm Holt, Tim Bertrand. Absent: Kevin Burke
1974-75
Midget: Front from left: Ron Hill, Ray Adams, Brian Dellandrea, Craig Mathers, Brian Adams, Larry Brown. Back: Mr. Steve McKee (Coach), Tony Tikuisis, Rob McLean, Tim Carr, Dan LaCombe, John O'Rourke, Ian Hain (Manager). Absent: Ed Desjardins, Brad Rutledge, Craig McBride
Junior: Front row from left: Jim Farrell, Peter Murdoch, Bob Attwell, Bruce Downey, Rick Edwards. Back row: Mr. John Smith (Coach), John Forrington, Bill Pledge, Jim O'Rourke, John Sutton, Peter Piper, Will Drummond (Manager). Absent: Tim Frost, Pat Garvey, Bill Lang, Kirby McIntosh, Mr Phil Aubin (Coach)
Senior: From left: Rawn McBride, Jerry Perrault, Norm Holt, Brian Johnson, George Gruzuk, Bernie Hofmann, John Jones, Chuck Meharg, Mr. Bill DeVries (Coach). Absent: Eric Hickey, John Arkwright
1975-76
Midget A: From left: Tim Rutledge, Brian Adams, Kerry Carnevale, Pete Caldwell, Larry Brown, John Ibbitson, Paul Thompson, Kenny Young, Charles Lozow, Dan Culbert, Mr. Gerry May (Coach)
Midget B: Mr. Bob Bisbee (Coach), Scott Thompson, Tim Rutledge, Carey Chapman, Jim St. Pierre, Ron Mechefske, Ward Whitehead, Tom Jeffry, John Walker, Barry Brooks, Jack Cryderman, Brian May, Robert Parry
Junior: From left: Ray Adams, Brian Dellandrea, Jim Farrell, Bill Pledge, Jim Burns, Kirby McIntosh, Rob McLean, Dan Lacombe, Ron Hill, Tony Tikuisis, Mr. John Smith (Coach)
Senior: Mr. Bill DeVries (Coach), Stuart Yeo, Peter Piper, Paul Peebles, John Jones, John O'Rourke, Brian Bell, Will Drummond, Rawn McBride, Horst Drape
1977-78
Midget: Babs Aiyede, Joel Vardy, Paul Toswell, Dan Desjardins, Randy Morden, Tom Allen, David Peters, Lanny Dennis, Mr. Danyluk (Coach). Absent Jamie Payne
Junior: Mr. Bill DeVries (Coach), Tim Rutledge, Rusty Healey, Ken Rowly, Philip Rauch, Bob Aultman, Garvin Milne, Robert Therrien, Scott Thompson, Jack Cryderman, Brian Adams, Unknown. Absent: Steve Hewitt, Paul Menard, Dan McCabe, Jim St. Pierre
Senior: Jim Farrell, Craig McBride, Brian Dellandrea, Dan Lacombe, Rob McLean, Brian Bell, Mark Odrowski, David Moreau, Horst Drape, Mr. John Smith (Coach). Absent: Bill Pledge, John Savill
1978-79
Midget: Front row from left: Paul Brear, Gary Radye, Brad Stoehr, Jamie Lang, Mike Menard, Craig Rendall, George Clements. Back: Mr. Bill Bisbee (Coach), Murray Tough, Tim Fountain, Brian Courchesne, Sherwood Thompson, Steve Attwell, Ray Gauthier, Brian Westerberg, Matt Coughlin. Absent: Mark Ferrier, Andy Atkinson
Junior and Senior: Standing from left: Mr. John Smith (Coach), Craig McBride, Randy Morden, Steve Anderson, Wally Lott, Jim St. Pierre, Phil Rauch. Seated: Tom Allen, Jack Cryderman, Dave Odrowski, Tim Rutledge, Babs Aiyede, Paul Toswell, Rob Therrien
1979-80
Midget: Back row from left: Mr. Bob Bisbee (Coach), Mike Menard, Lyle Murdy, Scott Fife, Ron Ticknor, Dave Carter, Brian Westerberg, Frank Marunde, Peter Neimczak (Manager). Front: Mark Pinkerton, Scott McAughey, Grenville Fowler, Dave Fetterley, Jeff Griffith, Steve Dickson, Greg Main
Junior: Back row from left: Gary Radey, Dave Odrowski, Tom Allen, Jamie Lang, Matt Coughlin, Mr. John Smith (Coach). Front: Murray Tough, Lanny Dennis, Paul Toswell, Brian Courchesne, Tim Fountain. Absent: Simon Gordon, Steve Attwell
Senior: Back row from left: Lance Blomme, Phil Rauch, Andy Osbourne, Paul Menard, Mr. John Smith (Coach). Front: Bill Hall, Steve Anderson, Rob Therrien, Jim St. Pierre. Absent: Paul Payne