The man with a wit as sharp as a skate and a dedication to his community as thick as a Southern Shore fog was inducted amid much accolades into Hockey NL’s Hall of Fame Saturday during a gala dinner at the group’s annual general meeting and conference in Gander.
Ken Williams, the long-time manager of the Southern Shore Arena and organizational genius behind the Breakers’ senior and junior hockey clubs for many years, was described as “owning a 32-year hockey career that is overflowing with hard work, valuable contributions and a multitude of sensible decisions that have been very important to the overall success of hockey within Newfoundland and Labrador. He is simply an extremely good hockey person.”
Williams’ contribution to amateur hockey in the province extends from making it possible for generations of the youngest minor hockey players to ever try out the game to keeping the most elite levels of the sport viable through challenging times and circumstances. And he did all that with an engaging wit and style that has earned him respect and many friends throughout the province.
Williams’ hockey “career” started on Maggoty Cove Pond in Bay Bulls. He went on to play organized hockey as a junior player in the Southern Shore Junior League. But it was in the boardrooms of minor and senior hockey where he has left his biggest marks.
Starting in 1986, Williams was instrumental in helping raise the money and organize the effort to build the Southern Shore Arena. Once built, he was a natural choice to serve as its manager. Williams was elected the founding President of the Southern Shore Minor Hockey Association and remains a volunteer with the organization. He has been the HNL provincial co-ordinator for 24 years.
Williams was also instrumental in reviving senior female hockey at the provincial level and brought the first team in many years to Prince Edward Island to compete nationally. He held a director’s position on the provincial female hockey committee for several years.
In 1993, Williams played a major role in organizing the Avalon West League as its first President and served as a director of the Southern Shore Breakers Senior Club. He served as treasurer for the Avalon East League and was president of the Southern Shore Amateur Hockey Association, which encompassed both junior and senior hockey.
Williams has served as chairman of Provincial Senior Hockey and was Branch Representative on Hockey Canada. In 2006, he chaired Hockey Canada’s meetings in St. Johns, which were deemed wildly successful. He is Provincial Senior Hockey Secretary and continues as President of the Southern Shore Hockey Association.
“Ken Williams has been, and continues to be, an outstanding contributor to hockey within Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Hockey NL executive director Craig Tulk.
