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 | Bill Wedlake | |
 | 2005 | |
 | Builder | |
 | Coach, Administrator | |
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Since he began in 1968, Bill has coached boys' and men's basketball in Manitoba for 32 years, 16 years at St. John's High School (1968 - 1984) and 16 years at the University of Winnipeg (1984 - 2000). During that time, his teams have always been competitive, with a tally of over 650 wins.
At all times, Bill worked enthusiastically and tirelessly to develop and promote the game of basketball. He was a co-founder of the Winnipeg Invitational Tournament (WIT); he served as president of Basketball Manitoba, of the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association, and of the National Association of Basketball Coaches of Canada; he was National Basketball Commissioner with the Canadian School Sport Association; and he is a member of the Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame committee. In addition, Bill, as a coach and athletic director at the U of W, has always been available to assist, in any way he can, local basketball organizations and teams.
He continued the Christmas tradition of the Wesmen Classic, which has developed it into the largest tournament in Canada, increasing it from a 16-team two-division tournament to a 75-team six-division event. For over 20 years, Bill organized, directed, and instructed in the annual Uof W summer basketball camp, now providing over 700 boys and girls with the opportunity to improve their basketball skills. While being very active as a clinician, Bill has also authored two books, Coaching Aids in a Successful Basketball Program (volumes 1 & 2), and has produced, directed, and appeared in three basketball instructional videos, Tips on Technique (volumes 1, 2, & 3). Over an 11- year period, he also created and produced his own weekly TV programme focusing on basketball issues in Manitoba and providing instructional information for coaches and players.