NSSAF Hugh A. Noble Distinguished Service Award

Distinguished Service Awards 2013-2014

The Hugh A. Noble Distinguished Service Award and the Dorothy G. Walker Distinguished Service Award represent the most prestigious awards presented by the Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation. The awards represent an attempt to give recognition to those who contribute to interscholastic athletics over several years, and to acknowledge outstanding contributions!

Hugh A. Noble is recognized as the father of modern physical education in Atlantic Canada and was responsible for establishing the first athletic committee of the Nova Scotia Headmasters Association and guided its operation for 25 years.  This organization later became the Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation.

The NSSAF is pleased to announce that the 2013-2014 Hugh A Noble Distinguished Service Award recipient is Jack Murphy of Lunenburg County.

“Murph”, as he was affectionately referred to, was much more than a coach. Mr. Murphy was a caring teacher who often went out of his way to make Physical Education or Work Experience interesting. Students learned that they could trust and rely on Mr. Murphy far beyond the scheduled class environment. Mr. Murphy’s legacy comes from the basketball court and sport development. His willingness to give endlessly of his personal time early in his career to multiple sports and, as years progressed, towards the development of basketball, was an outstanding example to aspiring P.E. teachers and coaches.

Mr. Murphy’s development of sport camps, introducing the South Shore to other outstanding coaches such as Frank Baldwin, Dick Hunt, Bob Douglas, and many more, opened the eyes of thousands of young student athletes. His desire to bring the best high school basketball teams to the South Shore saw the organization of “The New Year’s Classic Tournament” which is still run by Bridgewater High. Few are aware that it was first held at the Lunenburg Regional Vocational School, hosted by Mr. Murphy (who was then from Mahone Bay Consolidated), and friend Brian Kane, from Centre Consolidated. Mr. Murphy was so concerned about the integrity of having strong teams for the tournament that he didn’t enter his own Mahone Bay team the first year.

Mr. Murphy’s move to Park View saw the level of–and excitement for–basketball soar. With assistance from Dave Cook and many volunteers, “Panther Fever Weekend began”, it was best described once in the media as “Little Indiana”. (Thank goodness there were no fire marshal regulations then!)

After so much success at the High school level Mr. Murphy dedicated three years to the Nova Scotia Canada Games team. Mr. Murphy made sure to have try-outs and practices in all regions of the province. He developed life-long relationships with those players whether they came from Margaree, Digby, “the Square”, Cole Harbour, or Truro.

Finally, when most would have said they had given enough, Mr. Murphy switched to coaching girls to end his teaching/coaching career. Mr. Murphy saw the importance of organization and often stepped in to assist. Whether it be for the N.S.S.A.F., T.A.P.H.E., Junior Olympics, N.S. Sport Hall of Fame, his church, fire department and local scout pack.

Dorothy G. Walker was one of the first supervisors of physical education in our province and was instrumental in the growth of female participation in athletics, coaching and refereeing.  In 2002, the NSSAF established this award to be presented annually to recognize the outstanding contribution women have made to school sport.

The NSSAF is pleased to announce that the 2013-2014 Dorothy G. Walker Distinguished Service Award recipient is Mrs. Julia Tompkins of Cape Breton Highlands Education Center/Academy.

Mrs. Julia Tompkins has been teaching for over 30 years & throughout that time has continually given back to her community not only through her career as an educator but also as a volunteer coach. Mrs Tompkins has had the opportunity to teach a variety of subject matters at the junior and senior high levels before finally being able to pursue her passion of teaching physical education over the past decade.

Mrs Tompkins coached numerous sports at both the junior and senior levels, most notably volleyball and basketball teams.  During the initial stage of her teaching career, Mrs Tompkins coached sr. boy’s volleyball as well as sr. girl’s basketball at the former Margaree Forks District School having much success regionally and provincially.

Once Cape Breton Highland Education Centre/Academy opened, Mrs Tompkins continued her involvement in school sports by coaching girl’s volleyball and boy’s basketball at the senior level.  Even after she passed on her basketball coaching duties to new coaches who were once her own student athletes, she has stayed involved with the team as their manager.  She has also served as Jr. High boy’s basketball coach/manager and as a track & field coach as well.

Mrs Tompkins has been an instrumental driving force behind our Brendan MacLennan Memorial Basketball Tournament. This event is unique in the sense that it is a combined junior/senior girls and boy’s tournament which is proudly supported by our entire student body and the community at large. This past February marked the 12th year for the tournament.  This tournament has provided many a memorable memory  both on & off the court for many student-athletes, coaches & spectators; these can be attributed to  Mrs Tompkins diligence to provide for all participants in special ways from helping to organize hospitality rooms for players, parents & referees on top of managing her team & the tournament in general.

Mrs Tompkins teaching career winds nearer to retirement her absence will be a sad day for the community, our school, Inverness County, & the Strait Regional School Board; in fact it will represent a significant void in our athletic landscape which will be impossible to fill. There have been no less than three generations of children who did not know sports without her involvement in some way. A selfless leader, putting the needs of the “team” (our students) before her own.  This attribute in itself speaks volumes of this amazing woman who many have had the privilege of not only working beside every day, but learning from her as well. Mrs. Tompkins has been a shining example of holding up the ideals of the Dorothy G. Walker Award.

Congratulations to the two award winners!