Traditions

Linda Fletcher

Linda Fletcher, formerly of Welland, Ontario, now a resident of Wainfleet, spent five years at Niagara College as the first head coach of the Women's Basketball and Volleyball teams.

She accomplished what no other women's coach has yet been able to, and that was to lead a Niagara College women's team to a Provincial Championship.

In the 1968-1969 season with only seven players on the roster, she led the Knights to their first Ontario Colleges Athletic Association championship in a league of six teams. She returned in 1969-1970 season with the same squad of ladies to a league that expanded to 11 teams and successfully defended their title by defeating Fanshawe College.

With the same athletes playing volleyball that year, Linda directed the Knights past thirteen other teams to Niagara's first ever OCAA Volleyball Gold Medal Championship buy upsetting the two time defending champions Fanshawe College in the final.

Coming to Niagara in the evening and coaching was a tremendous part of her life. She was very respected by the players and they related well to her as she was still playing in the Hamilton league while coaching.

After coaching the basketball and volleyball teams to provincial championships in the 1969-1970 season, the Student Administrative Council honoured her with the first Female Athlete of the Year Award. Coaching at Niagara was a great experience for her as well as a lot of fun.

Her most memorable moment in the five years that she spent at Niagara, was "when our small new team of terrific ladies won Niagara's first basketball championship, what a thrill!"