Their Journeys live on in those they impacted

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There are literally thousands of Olympia Sports Camp alumni and the camp  has created an App that will allow Alumni to connect with the camp events, connect with each other, read content about some amazing Olympia people, and maybe sign your child or grandchild up for the week of their lives. 

This week is not about an Olympia Alumni, but it is about someone who led a hero's journey. It is about a man who had the guts and foresight, when there was no real quality rep system in place for girls to learn basketball and prosper, to take the bat off the shoulder and create a basketball program that would end up influencing thousands and changed the face of girl's basketball in Ontario, and probably Canada. 

Today's blog honours the memory of Doug Harrison, the founder and architect of the Transway girls basketball program, who passed away last week at 83.

I have had a connection to the Harrison family for a long time,  having coached both Vicky and Kathy on JDP regional teams in the 80's, and coached with and against many Transway players in the early years of my coaching. These athletes played with skill and toughness, a tough combination that led our team to provincial success.  I've been fortunate to have some great discussions with Doug over the years and I want to share a few things that people in the sporting community may not know about the man and about the process of creating and building the best girl's- only club program in Ontario, and maybe anywhere.


The process isn't about winning but one thing about Doug Harrison, he expected his teams to win, and to represent his hometown of Hamilton with pride. And he demanded the same attitude from his coaches. He founded the Transway program in 1979, ironically the same year that Dave Grace took the bat off the shoulder and purchased the land in Interlaken, now the permanent site of Olympia Sports Camp. 

Transway teams have won over 75 Provincial championships since its inception but it isn't just that they win; its how they win. There are three general truths about Transway players and teams that the opposition had to be aware of; they play the right way, they are Hamilton tough, and they are here to win.  That's all the vision and leadership of Doug Harrison. Doug has been honoured in the Hamilton and basketball community but what I want to capture his true legacy: his players.

Starting Transway to help his daughter Vicky and a bunch of her friends learn the game the way he knew how, there are now hundreds and hundreds of girls who owe their basketball careers to the effort of Doug Harrison. and many played at the highest levels. The list of the accomplished players is endless. Perhaps the best part of the journey is that now those girls have girls of their own who are donning the classic white and red t-shirt uniforms. Speaking of those uniforms, I always admired that the Transway teams just showed up in t-shirts and promised to outwork you. Don't waste the hard-earned money on fancy kit. Save it all for basketball. 

A couple of personal reflections if I may. Doug always appreciated the effort that I put into my JDP teams and the experience his daughters got but that was provincial stuff. When it came to club competition his east Hamilton toughness, with 40 years at Stelco, came out in every Transway team. It was as if the offensive end of the court would take care of itself if you play defence. His belief was that if you are tougher, and play smart, you'll win most games. And they did.

The other aspect is reflected in the faces of the Transway players I saw this weekend, many of whom I had the pleasure to coach. You could see the love for 'Dougie' in their eyes. You could see that they are successful adults now because of what he did for them, and now they are doing the same for others.  Many of them are coaching. 

All because of one man's vision for them. " YOU ARE BETTER THAN YOU THINK"

That's the true legacy of Doug Harrison. 




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