UPEI hires Kendrick to coach men's basketball
The University of Prince Edward Island will have a new face behind the bench to coach the men's basketball Panthers, the Island university announced today. Tim Kendrick, from New Minas, Nova Scotia and long-time coach of the Horton High School division 1 men's basketball team, will begin his new post immediately.
Ron Annear, director of athletics and recreation at UPEI, said, 'We are definitely excited to have Tim join us at UPEI. His coaching record speaks for itself, but after seeing him in action at the 2009 Canada Games, meeting with him during the selection process, and now getting to know him better in the last few weeks, I know he will be the right leader and motivator to take the Panthers to new heights in both the AUS and CIS, and in our community.'
Kendrick coached the Nova Scotia men's team to a dramatic silver medal finish at the Canada Games in Summerside in August 2009. The fully certified NCCP level III coach was the 2010 recipient of Basketball Nova Scotia's Coach of the Year Award, and in 2009, the Frank Baldwin Award, and has a number of great coaching achievements including having over 40 high school players go on to play CIS basketball, and being nationally recognized for a 73-game unbeaten streak in 2006-2008 (unofficial Canadian record). His overall record at Horton High School is 707 wins, 189 losses.
In addition to his high school coaching duties, Kendrick has been a regional account specialist for Prodigy Sports, and owner and director of basketball operations for Coach Kendrick's Basketball World, a company he formed that offers camps and clinics and coordinates speaking engagements, tournaments, and leagues.
Kendrick said, 'It will be an absolute thrill and honour to coach the Panthers. I relish the thought of living year-round in PEI, becoming involved in the high school and minor programs on the Island, and working with Basketball PEI. I am confident I can help build the Panther program and add to a very loyal UPEI fan base through running camps and clinics, and by reaching out to alumni and the community.'
His playing career in the eighties included a stint with the University College of Cape Breton where he was named 'All-Conference,' but his highest accolades came when playing for the Nova Scotia Teachers College. In both 1984 and 1985 seasons, Kendrick won Nova Scotia College Conference championships, was conference MVP, was named "All-Canadian," and was the leading scorer in the country in the Canadian College Athletic Association.
One of Kendrick's first tasks will be meeting and communicating with current student-athletes as well as new recruits in anticipation of the official AUS winter sport start date of September 9 when tryouts begin. The UPEI Men's Basketball team will see game action at the Mickey Place Tournament on October 14, hosting its first regular season home game on November 12, 2011 against Saint Mary's University. For the season's schedule, visit gopanthersgo.ca.
