SPORTS REPORTER
COOPER EVOY

Of the 15 varsity teams at Humber, 11 are coached by former Humber athletes.

Denise Perrier had already established herself on the Humber athletic scene as a forward for women’s basketball before she became a coach.

“I was asked by Doug Fox in my final season to come on board as an assistant,” said Perrier, who played on the women’s basketball team from 1990 to 1992. “I wanted to come back and give to the school, so it was an easy decision.”

The Rec and Leisure and Marketing grad was named a Canadian Colleges Athletic Association All-Canadian in 1991/1992, and in 2003 was inducted into the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

Her number 21 was retired by Humber in 1993.

Perrier, the head coach of women’s basketball for the past 10-years, says Humber is dedicated to coach development.

“They’re open to send us to coaching clinics and get our coaching certification,” she said. “They’ve been very supportive.”

Chris Wilkins is a former Humber athlete who has found success coaching the women’s volleyball team since 1996.

“When I decided to play, a good friend of mine was actually coaching the women’s program and asked me to help out,” said Wilkins, a Humber Hawk from 1992-94 and a graduate of the Rec and Leisure program. “I had a dual role. I played on the men’s team and was an assistant coach on the women’s team.”

Wilkins says the atmosphere at Humber made it an easy decision to play and coach at the school.

“You walk in and instantly know you’re part of something special,” said Wilkins.

Wilkins’ current assistant coach, Dean Wylie, began his playing career at Humber in 1993.

Wylie, who served as captain of the Hawk’s men’s volleyball team for two seasons, returned to work at Humber full-time in 1997 several years after graduating from the Recreation Leadership program.

“I came back and Wayne Wilkins was the head coach, and I asked if he was interested in picking up an assistant” said Wylie, a former teammate of Wilkins. “So I coached with Wayne for nine years, and then went over to his brother’s squad in 2005/2006.”

Perrier says that the trend of athletes returning to coach is a positive one for Humber athletics.

“They know the culture, they know the school, they know the athletic department,” said Perrier.

“It helps to have them come back and serve as role models for the young athletes.”