New Waterford Coal Bowl Classic

History and Rationale

The New Waterford Coal Bowl Classic is a national invitational boys' high school basketball tournament. Planning for the tournament was initiated by community and school people with special interest in sports and more particularly, basketball. The project has been in the planning stages for approximately two years and is a community/school based operation.

The first annual Coal Bowl Classic is scheduled for the week of January 18-23, 1982, at Breton Education Centre, New Waterford, Nova Scotia. Breton Education Centre is a junior-senior high

school which opened in 1970 with a student population in excess of 2,200. The current population of the school is approximately 1,600

students.

The Town of New Waterford is a coal-mining community with an approximate population of 9,000 situated twelve miles from the City of Sydney and from the Town of Glace Bay. Basketball has had a long tradition in the town and that tradition was exemplified and recognized during induction ceremonies of the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame two years ago. At that time, four basketball teams were inducted into the Hall of Fame, three of which were from the Town of New Waterford. Those teams were:

St. Agnes Juvenile Team-1932-Canadian Title.

Strands Intermediate Team 1946-47-48-Canadian Titles.

Central School Juvenile Team - 1961 - Canadian Title.

Acadia University 1971 Canadian Title was the fourth team inducted.

Of course, New Waterford, first and foremost, is a mining town. Coal mining and basketball have been a significant part of the town's history. It seems appropriate that this close association should be reflected in our planning and preparation for this major tournament which we hope will be an annual project and which will grow in prestige and acceptance throughout Canada.

Related Tournament Activities

The tournament is planned so that participating students will not only compete on the basketball court, but will participate in school-sponsored educational, social, and cultural activities as well. The Board of Directors places great importance on the related activities of the tournament week.

Team members will be assigned student "buddies" whom they will accompany to class during the tournament week when not involved

in other tournament activities. Team members, as well, will participate in scheduled tours relating to the mining industry. In addition, the tournament week will include the Coal Bowl Dance, Coal Bowl Mixers, and a formal banquet. 

A major facilitating factor is that all team members will be billeted within one wing of the school and hot meals will be provided for them on a daily basis by the school cafeteria.

The objectives of the New Waterford Coal Bowl Classic are to recognize the close historical association between coal-mining and basketball, and to provide special educational, social, cultural, and athletic experiences for visiting teams, students and staff of Breton Education Centre, and the community generally.