SSC and PEISAA Looses a Good Friend
September 18, 2021 by admin
Filed under Canadian Sport Features
Summerside’s Garth Turtle left his mark on school sports on P.E.I.
Jason Simmonds · Journalist | Posted: Sept. 15, 2021, 9:20 p.m. | Updated: Sept. 16, 2021, 6:13 a.m. | 8 Min Read
SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Garth Turtle was much more than a teacher and a coach.
Turtle’s passion and commitment towards developing quality people helped prepare many student-athletes at Three Oaks Senior High School (TOSH) in Summerside.
“He was always about trying to make (his athletes and students) a better person,” said Jason Woods, who coached senior girls’ basketball at TOSH with Turtle for the last eight years. “The winning in sports was always secondary.
“Garth wanted you to be a better person when you leave (Three Oaks).”
“He was always about trying to make (his athletes and students) a better person. The winning in sports was always secondary. Garth wanted you to be a better person when you leave (Three Oaks).”
— Jason Woods
Turtle died in his hometown of Summerside on Sept. 13 at age 69. Turtle had approximately 40 years of involvement in school sports as a teacher, athletic director, official and administrator with the Prince Edward Island School Athletic Association (PEISAA).
“It is a sad day for the PEISAA,” said the organization’s school sport co-ordinator Phil Bridges, who added he was proud to call Turtle a friend for close to 40 years. “Garth always put the students first.”
After teaching physical education at Summerside Intermediate School (SIS) and Three Oaks, Turtle served as athletic director at the Summerside high school for 10 years.
Turtle spent another 10 years as executive director of the PEISAA – the governing body of school sports on P.E.I.
Whatever role Turtle held, his reach was far and impactful.
“Garth pretty much reshaped (the PEISAA) to what it is today,” said Woods. “Back before Garth took over SAA (in the late 1990s), there were really only two divisions in most sports, A and AA.
“When he came along, he wanted to see more and more kids be active and playing for potential championships. For him, it was always about getting more kids playing.
“School sports was his passion next to his wife and kids.”
Woods said Turtle achieved this by implanting different tiers and offering three championship levels – AAA, AA and A – where required.
Career Highlights
Garth Turtle’s career highlights:
- Taught Physical Education at Summerside Intermediate School and Three Oaks Senior High School in Summerside.
- Served as athletic director at Three Oaks.
- Served president of School Sport Canada in 1989 and has a lengthy resumé with national school sports organizations.
- Served in the role of P.E.I. School Athletic Association (PEISAA) executive director for 10 years.
- For the 2020-21 PEISAA season, Turtle served as golf and softball commissioner, officiated volleyball and coached senior AAA girls basketball at Three Oaks
- Turtle is also a longtime softball umpire.
- The PEISAA recognized Turtle’s contributions by naming him the 1996-97 recipient of the Merit Award. Turtle received the PEISAA Builders Award in 2007-08.
Former player
Nikki Arsenault played three seasons of basketball under Turtle and Woods at Three Oaks.
“Turtle stopped being my coach four years ago when I left high school, but in reality, he never stopped (coaching me),” said Arsenault, who graduated in 2017. “He was one of those people that cared.”
Arsenault played four seasons with Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) in the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) and recalled Turtle attending many of her games.
Arsenault said if Turtle could not attend games in person, he would often watch online. Turtle regularly sent messages of advice and support to his former player.
“I really appreciated it because they say you should be concerned when someone stops coaching you or stops trying to help you because that means they lost hope or faith in you that you can be better,” said Arsenault. “Thankfully, he never stopped caring or trying to help me because he cared so much.”
A 2021 graduate of MSVU, Arsenault was recently named the head coach of Lockview High School in Fall River, N.S. Arsenault was inspired to pursue coaching because of Turtle.
“I’ve had a lot of coaches who helped me become a better player, but he helped me become a better person.”
Angela Gallant first met Turtle in Grade 8. Turtle coached Gallant in basketball at SIS and cross-country and track and field at TOSH. Gallant described Turtle as one of the most influential people in her life growing up.
“Garth Turtle’s passing is a huge loss and he will not be forgotten,” said Gallant, a 1987 graduate of TOSH who now lives in Halifax, N.S. “He has been one of the most influential people in my life for almost 40 years, and he will certainly be missed.
“He truly cared about all of us and he did everything he could to help people be their best. He was an amazing person and my thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.”
Teaching colleague
Emily Schurman has many fond memories teaching physical education alongside Turtle at Three Oaks. Although they had different personalities, Schurman said the pair made a great team. Schurman added Turtle never hesitated to make a decision.
“He was like Type-A personality, and I was just about Type-Z,” said Schurman. “We often said that about one another.”
At the end of every semester, they would stage a mini Olympics event. Schurman said students would prepare costumes, posters and themes.
“That was probably the most fun we had,” said Schurman. “We did that for years and years and years.
“Those were the times when Garth let his hair down so to speak. He was a very focused teacher, very organized, and he wanted kids to reach their potential and be their best, both in class and as athletes. He exemplified that.”
Three Oaks athletic director Joel Arsenault said Turtle cared for his students and athletes, both inside and outside of school. Arsenault said this resulted in Turtle maintaining many connections long after graduation.
Arsenault said those people range in age from 18 to 50 and are spread all over the world.
Volunteering
Turtle, who believed in giving back to his community, was actively involved in several organizations and held prominent positions on many host committees for major sporting events in Summerside.
Turtle served as the education adviser for the Summerside Western Capitals’ junior A hockey team. In that role, Turtle handled all educational needs and requests from players.
“Garth was a great guy and very accommodating,” said Caps general manager Pat McIver. “I’ll be honest; I knew he was battling cancer but had no idea how seriously sick he was. He just helped Thomas Lacombe as early as this week with his courses.”
Woods said Turtle was a big believer in former athletes giving back. Woods said that is a big reason why there are so many alumni coaching at TOSH.
“He has meant an awful lot to me, and he never even coached me,” said Woods, a former student-athlete at TOSH. “I still use some of his old sayings that he said back when I was a student at Three Oaks – ‘You be a leader and make good decisions.’”
Jason Simmonds is a sports editor with the SaltWire Network in Prince Edward Island.
