2004 Inductees

Dave Kinsman

Growing up in Welsford, David and his Kinsman cousins were always looking for a piece of ice large enough to practice on. When a team from a neighboring community would come and play them, Dave's father, Cyril, and his brothers, Harry and Earle, would engage ice at the Berwick rink for a game. The boys won widespread favor and support in the town. Many fans could see the markings of a strong senior team that could put Berwick back on the provincial hockey scene-as in the days of the Three Stars and the Bruins.

Throughout his career, Dave earned many all-star selections and became one of the best defensemen in Berwick history. Dave had the amazing ability to anticipate plays and he possessed the skating agility to get the puck out of his end zone. Although small in stature, no player got past Dave on the boards. Relaxed amid the turbulence on the ice-Dave used his clear-headedness and ability to hand out the most crushing body checks.

Dave had a wonderful career in minor hockey. At the age of fifteen, Dave was invited to play junior hockey with the Bruins. The next year he started playing hockey with the Bruins, but chose to play with the Midget team (Western Valley Flyers) and was happy that he did. In 1966, they captured the Nova Scotia Midget Championship and then moved on to compete in the Centennial Cup (Canadian Championship) in Kingston, Ontario. They were named Maritime Champions as a result of their success at this tournament.

The next year, at age seventeen, Dave signed with the Berwick Jr. Bruins. The following year he helped the team to a second place provincial finish. In 1969, he was lured away to play Jr. A with the Cape Breton Metros. One of Dave's Cape Breton Metro teammates who went on to play for the Saint Mary's Huskies and had a tryout with the New York Rangers said that "pound for pound, Dave was the best defenseman he ever played with." Despite an injury-plagued season, he continued to impress. A year later, he signed with the Xavier Jr. College team where he earned the coach's award and another Nova Scotia Championship.

Dave had offers to play hockey at many Maritime universities but chose to play hockey in the Valley. He became the core defenseman for the Bridgetown Hawks and starred there for five years. An intermediate team was formed in Berwick in 1978 and Dave played there until he retired in 1983.

Since then Dave has continued to play Oldtimer hockey and has spent the last thirty years coaching minor and high school hockey. He served ten years on the Minor Hockey Executive. In 1989, he helped coach the Berwick Atom Bruins to a provincial championship and in 2004, the Central Kings High School team to a provincial second place finish.

Dave summed it all up this way, "I just went out and played hockey and had a good time." Former coach Bill Franklin says that "Dave was a dream to coach; he improved about 500% and became the heart and soul of the team. There was nothing he couldn't do and he became one of the best defensemen in the Valley".

Dave continues to be a wonderful ambassador and promoter of the sport and was one of the best players this area has ever seen.

Inducted June 2004