Sport: Volleyball
Position: Coach, Official
Year of Induction: 2008

Dale was raised in the Merlin area and attended Merlin District High School where he played volleyball for coach Mort Giles. During his 30.5 years of teaching at CKSS, he has devoted countless hours, along with other coaches, to build the school’s outstanding volleyball program into one of the best in the province. In addition, he has been instrumental in developing out-of-school volleyball programs for adults and youths in the community.  

Volleyball at CKSS – 1973-1998

• Coached countless Kent championships at all levels (midget, junior, and senior) – in 22 year span (1977-1998) went to 18 OFSAA championships many at a higher level than required
• Won 2 gold’s (1989, 1993) and 4 bronze medals as head coach and 2 golds (1990, 1991) as assistant coach
• Convened 2 OFSAA tournaments (1980, 1990)
• 1980s-90s – initiated and convened Kent boys all-star nights

Club Volleyball

• Co-founded, with wife Ingrid, Chatham Ballhawks Volleyball Club with teams in men’s, women’s, coed, boy’s, and girl’s competitions
• 1975-1989 – coached men’s, women’s, and boy’s teams – continues now to coach youth boy’s and girl’s teams
• 1982-player/coach of men’s team that won Ontario “A” gold medal and Eastern Canada bronze medal
• 1985 – coached women’s team that won Ontario “B” silver medal
• 1989 – coached women’s team that won Ontario “B” gold medal
• 2007-2008 – co-coached a beach girls doubles team in Provincials and Nationals
• 1976 – founded Southwestern Ontario Men’s and Women’s Leagues – convened and coached in league until 1989
• 1991 until present – convener and often coach in Region 3 18U Boy’s Developmental League
• 1991 – co-coached, with Ingrid, Boy’s Ontario Summer Games team to gold medal
• 1996-2005 – coach at Tim Horton’s Summer Volleyball Camp
• 1980-1985 – coach at Olympia Volleyball Camp at Huntsville
• since 1976 – Ontario Volleyball Association Provincial Official
• 1976-1990 – ran local officials’ clinics for OVA
• 2001-2008 – founder and president of Chatham-Kent Volleyball Officials Association with responsibilities to oversee, assign, and pay officials

Outside Volleyball

• 1991-1996 – CKSS junior soccer coach – Kent champion all 6 years and SWOSSAA champion 5 of 6
• 1992 – Chatham Minor Soccer 14U Travel Team coach
• 1973-1978 – CKSS wrestling coach with 2 OFSAA appearances
• 1973-2007 – CKSS badminton coach – 1 senior and 1 junior Kent Championship and 4 OFSAA appearances
• 1972 – Merlin Juvenile boys baseball manager who were OBA silver medalist
• 1987, 1988, & 1990 – Chatham Minor Baseball travel team manager – OBA Pee Wee silver medalist in ’88
• 1976 & 1977 – Chatham Minor Baseball Instructor
• 1973-2007 – baseball and slo-pitch umpire

Awards & Recognitions

• 1987 – OVA “Award of Recognition”
• 1988 – OVA “Award of Achievement”
• 1993 – OFSAA “Award for Leadership in School Sport”
• 1995 – Board of Education “Award of Appreciation”
• 2005 – CKSS “Outstanding Contribution to Athletics”
• 2006 – Admitted to OVA Quarter Century Club for 25 years’ service
• 2006 – Retired Teachers of Ontario Volunteer Award