Standard tourney seeks new leaders
The storied Standard High School Basketball Tournament is seeking new leadership to guide it through its 62nd annual staging this year and beyond.
Tournament co-chairs John Pilling and Randy Conlon, who started heading the tournament after taking over for Jim Wallace and Vince De Luca after the 50th tourney, are stepping down from their roles as co-chairs and members of the committee. Pilling has been on the committee since the 50th anniversary of the event and Conlon has served on the committee for 31 years. Conlon is a former Standard tournament player and coach while Pilling is a former tournament MVP, whose single tournament scoring record was broken this year by Governor Simcoe’s Noah Budgell.
Both men, who had planned to step down after the 60th event but stayed a few more years, say there was no one else they would have rather co-chaired the event with.
“It’s interesting that we’re doing this (stepping down) on the eve of March Madness because, for us, the goal was always to create a small town version of that feeling: The media attention through BP Sports; the televised games by Cogeco and Niagara College with Randy and Larry Miller calling the action; Dan Duemo doing the public address; John Riddell coordinating O Canada on finals night; Stephanie MacSporran running our website and socials; it all creates the atmosphere,” Pilling said. “And the kids buy-in, the coaches and parents help with the messaging of the tournament’s history and you can just feel the momentum build toward Friday night at the Collegiate.”
Conlon agrees the Standard tournament is exceptional.
“It’s the fact that it is a strictly community tournament, especially in the recent past when the two school boards don’t play against each other any longer. It’s a true test that is like a pre-season city championship and, of course, there is the history which makes it special.”
Pilling has enjoyed the role and is encouraging others to step up and take on the rewarding position.
“The ideal candidate would be someone who played in the tournament, understands its history, has a passion for local basketball but also has the availability to do the job. Ideally it would be someone who is self-employed or retired and has some day-time availability. Be ready to be busy for a couple of weeks leading in and tournament week is pretty crazy,” he said. “It is good to have somebody as a consensus builder and maybe someone who can put any biases aside and be a bit of a diplomat because obviously there are some politics involved.”
Finding someone to co-chair the event is a good idea.
“For us, we did complement each other. John did the things I didn’t want to do and I did the things he didn’t necessarily want to do,” Conlon said.
He feels it is important for the new leaders to have the ability to connect with people who want to help but don’t have as much time as others.
Conlon is stepping down because he believes it is time for him to do so.
“Thirty-one years is a long time but John and I have said that we are definitely willing to help with the transition of someone else taking it over,” he said. “There are other things on my plate now. I have been doing some writing for you guys (BPSN), I’m refereeing a lot, I’m travelling a lot as a retired guy and I am also doing some convening for the Catholic board (football and field lacrosse).”
Pilling is leaving the committee for similar reasons.
“We’ve been good stewards of the event for the last 13 years but it is time for some fresh faces and maybe someone else a little more connected to the basketball community at large. We did it when our kids were young and just entering the CYO system and it was great because we got to follow them right through the high school ranks and now they have already graduated university.”
He is also turning his volunteering in different directions, including serving on the board of a new tennis club that has formed in St. Catharines.
Pilling and Conlon have plenty of fond memories of their time as co-chairs.
Pilling’s include: the 60th anniversary party; his son, Peter, playing on finals night; championship nights at Collegiate with his daughter, Jenneke, always there; seeing friends and family in the audience and their kids succeeding and enjoying the week; and Jack Riddell, Sam Braithwaite and Quinton Duemo all winning MVPs under their watch after they had the privilege of watching them grow up in CYO basketball and then cement their legacy in tournament history.
“A personal favorite memory was when Shamar Burrows won the MVP as a member of Ridley’s championship team. He was so excited that he took the MVP trophy back to Bahamas and it took us almost two years to get it back,” said Pilling, who also thanked the main sponsors during their tenure, Kully’s and Accenture.
Conlon’s most vivid and lasting memories of the tournament would be championship nights in the Collegiate gym.
“The atmosphere and electricity in that gym is something special. For the young athletes, it is probably the largest and loudest crowd they get to play in front of and hopefully something they will never forget. Add in the fact that they are playing on live television. It really is special.”
An important part of the tournament are the bursaries awarded to players. Applications for Standard Tournament bursaries, including the Larry Miller Bursary, will be sent to coaches and student services departments early next week.
