2013 Inductees

Morgan Snow – Builder

Over a coaching career spanning 30 years, Berwick resident Morgan Snow and his teams have enjoyed a level of success nearly unprecedented in Nova Scotia volleyball circles.

For the bulk of that time, close to 20 years, Morgan coached senior boys’ volleyball at West Kings District High as well as with the Valley Skyhawks, the club volleyball program he founded in 1993.

Morgan’s school and club teams won numerous regional and provincial championships in both school and club competition. Most of his NSSAF championships were won at the Division 1 level, often against opposing schools with far larger student populations.

A native of Stephenville, NL, Morgan moved to Nova Scotia in 1991 and assumed a position teaching physical education at West Kings. A sports enthusiast, he began coaching school volleyball soon after.

Morgan established the Valley Skyhawks volleyball club in 1993 as a means of allowing his players to play year-round (or as close as possible to it), which he felt was the key to a successful program in both school and club competition.

From one boys’ team the first season, the Skyhawks grew to the point where by 2011, the club included nine teams, more than 100 athletes (both boys and girls) and 12 coaches.

Over the years, the Skyhawks won five provincial 16& under boys’ Tier 1 titles, one 14 & under Tier 1 boys’ title, one 18 & under boys’ Tier 1 title and one 18 & under girls’ Tier 2 crown. Several teams competed at the nationals, with one placing fifth in Canada.

Needless to say, the success of the Skyhawks translated to success for West Kings in school competition, as the majority of the players developed by Morgan through the Skyhawks attended West Kings.The West Kings boys’ and girls’ teams were in the forefront of school volleyball in Nova Scotia for more than a decade.

The boys captured six provincial D-1 championships (in addition to five silver medals), four provincial D-2 banners and one provincial D-3 banner (in a year the school fielded two boys’ teams). The West Kings girls have won three provincial D-2 championships.

As a Berwick resident, Morgan made sure over the years that his teams included their share of student-athletes from Berwick.

Morgan has always shown interest in his athletes and has been as much a mentor as a coach, being supportive of his players as students and more than anything as people.

He has continued to mentor his athletes after high school, into their university years and beyond. Many of his former players have stayed active in the sport, as a way of giving back, and more than a few have gone on to become successful coaches in their own right.

During the 2011-2012 school year, three of Morgan’s former players – John Slauenwhite, Josh Hebb and Ryan Harris – each led their teams to provincial titles, Slauenwhite and Hebb in Alberta and Harris at West Kings, continuing the tradition Morgan began.

Not to be outdone, Morgan also coached a team to a provincial title that same year.

Morgan’s influence at West Kings and in the Western Kings area over the years has gone beyond volleyball. The success of his school and club teams had spread to other sports at West Kings that have enjoyed success through his example. He also remains an active volleyball and basketball official, which he has also done for many years.

The Berwick Sports Hall of Fame is pleased to induct, in the Builder category, Morgan Snow.