Jonker ends stellar Mohawk coaching career
Brantford native owns wins record, national championship
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Brian Jonker’s record-setting coaching career with the men’s basketball program at Mohawk College has come to an end.
Jonker, a Brantford native who lives in Paris, recently retired after 17 seasons with the Mountaineers. During his tenure he set the record for most regular-season wins (180) for a coach across any sport at Mohawk while also winning a Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association national championship in 2012.
The 53-year-old said he feels the goals he set out to achieve were met.
“I think the goal is to be competitive and relevant on a regular basis and then when you leave you leave the place better than you found it,” said Jonker, whose 312 total wins – exhibition, regular-season, tournament and playoffs – are also thought to be a record.
“I think we accomplished that. I think that’s important.”
Jonker, a former player at Mohawk, began his coaching career at Assumption College where he amassed 205 wins during his tenure, capturing four Brant County championships, five Central Western Ontario Secondary Schools Association titles and an Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations bronze medal.
“Dennis (Kings) got me started,” Jonker said.
“He gave me my first opportunity. I was given the chance to bump my head, make mistakes and not look over my shoulder at what may happen. He showed a lot of faith in me. I’m extremely thankful for that.”
With all the success he enjoyed at ACS, the move to Mohawk may have come as a surprise to some but Jonker couldn’t turn down the job when it was offered.
“It’s my alma mater,” he said.
“My wife (Stacey) and I both played at Mohawk at the same time. When it came open I said to her right away I’d like to go back and see if we can win a national championship. With kids (Calley and Sydney) wrapped around her legs and chasing her around the house she said, ‘Just go.’”
“It was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.”
During his time at Mohawk, Jonker won two Ontario Colleges Athletic Association championships, captured five overall conference medals, made three CCAA national championship appearances and was named OCAA west division coach of the year twice.
“It means we had a lot of good players,” he said when asked about all his accomplishments. “You can’t win without good players.
“The numbers don’t mean that much to me to be honest. There’s really two reasons for me why I enjoyed and stayed coaching as long as I did. One was the competition. I just love to compete. The second was the relationships, getting close to people and building bonds with the guys every year.
“Those are the two things that interest me the most and I’ll take away the most.”
As for the national championship, that’s something he’ll never forget. In fact, that group remains in touch and they make sure to reminisce on the anniversary of the win – St. Patrick’s Day – every year.
“It’s one of those things you’ll remember forever and it’s a bond you have forever with that group of people,” Jonker said.
In his final season at Mohawk, the Mountaineers went 14-4 during the regular season and 2-1 at the OCAA championship. The team was hoping to make it to the CCAA tournament but it wasn’t meant to be.
“It was nice that we bounced back the next day and finished with a (bronze) medal,” said Jonker, noting that only the top-two teams from Ontario advanced to nationals.
The Mountaineers have hired Jonker’s replacement – Jamie Girolamette from Redeemer College. Now the former coach can concentrate on his next challenge – golf.
“When I hit 55 I want to play a lot of competitive, senior amateur golf and play in tournaments wherever I can play,” he said.
“I’m converting my garage over with a simulator next winter and away I’ll go.”
And when next basketball season comes, will he miss it?
“I think I’ll only miss game day,” said the coach, who had his brother, Dan, and Brantford’s Mike Woodburn on the bench with him at Mohawk. “I won’t miss driving back and forth to Hamilton six days a week.
“I’m definitely at peace. I don’t have any second thoughts or regrets.”
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