Former resident Maurice
“Mort” Giles has been inducted into the Chatham Sports
Hall of Fame. Giles was honoured in September for coaching
high school volleyball for 35 years. When he attended West
Elgin, the now 63-year-old, played on volleyball,
basketball, track and badminton teams. He credits his
career to former West Elgin coach Lloyd Smith who
encouraged him to go to University. As Smith did,
Giles later guided kids in
the same way.
Married to Elizabeth (Sura), the London couple have one
daughter, Jennifer, who lives in Chatham with her husband
Craig and two children. Giles admits his greatest
influences growing up in Rodney were the Scafe/Fairles
family along with George Hanley and Bill Melnyk’s
family. Teacher Wilf Johnston made an impact on
Giles while at West Elgin.
Growing up, Giles played minor
baseball in Rodney and hockey in West Lorne. He graduated
from UWO, majoring in history and physical
education. He spent his
career in Chatham-Kent, retiring in 1997.
Over the last 25 years, the Municipality of
Chatham-Kent has become a powerhouse in Ontario high
school volleyball. Chatham-Kent teams have won 2
OFSAA "AAA" Boys Championships, 1 OFSAA Girls
"AAA" Championship, 7 OFSAA "AA" Boys
Championships, 5 OFSAA "AA" Girls Championships,
2 OFSAA "A" Boys Championships, and many more
silver and bronze medals at various levels of OFSAA
competition. The person credited with setting the seeds
for this dominance is retired teacher and coach, Mort
Giles.
- 1965-1980
- While teaching at Merlin District High School,
Mort coached basketball winning 12 Kent and 2
SWOSSAA Championships; in badminton winning 6 Kent
and 1 SWOSSAA Championship; and, in volleyball
winning 23 Kent, 13 SWOSSAA, and 3 OFSAA
Championships. At OFSAA volleyball, he was
runner-up 3 times and tied for third 3 times prior
to OFSAA granting medals for these positions.
- 1980-1984
- Merlin High School closed their doors, Mort
moved to Blenheim District High School Coached
boys volleyball (4 Kent, 2 SWOSSAA Championships,
1 OFSAA bronze medal) and girls' volleyball (2
Kent, 1 SWOSSAA Championship)
- 1984-1999
- Mort transferred to John McGregor
Secondary School as assistant head and later head
of physical education department. He was
responsible for the volleyball program and, for
most years coached boys and girls teams at all
levels, midget through senior. The senior boys won
5 Kent and 2 SWOSSAA Championships and 1 OFSAA 4th
place medal; senior girls won 5 Kent and 3 SWOSSAA
Championships and 1 OFSAA bronze and 1 OFSAA 4th
place
- Mort has been involved with the Tim Horton's
Volleyball Kent Camp for elementary and secondary
players for the past 21 years, the last 16 as
co-director. In the past 25 years has been a
"Provincial" rated volleyball official;
co-convened 4 OFSAA volleyball tournaments hosted
by Chatham
- He has been recognized many times for his
contributions, including 1969 and 1973 Ted
Day Coaching Award presented by the News Media
of Kent County, 1978 Canadian Merit Award, 1997
OFSAA Award for Leadership in School Sport, and
1998 Robinson-Bruette Special Contribution Award
from John
McGregor Secondary School.
Mort presently (2007) lives in London with his wife,
Liz, and he continues to referee volleyball and to
instruct in volleyball camps. |
