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St. Paul's High School Archives: Basketball: the early years - 1920s - 1940s

Information about St. Paul's Archives and virtual displays created to support physical displays

Coaches: Early Years

1940: Mr. Voisin, S.J.

1941: Mr. Voisin, S.J.

1943: Rev. Charles Kanavy, S.J.

1944: Captain A.M. Fragala

1945: Captain A.M. Fragala

1946: Steve Bohunicky

1947: Greg Penesis, Donald Leyden

1955: Joe Zaleski

1956: Joe Zaleski

1957: T. Pechet

1958: R. Latourelle

1959: Dave Jandrisch

Championships and Titles

1941:

  • Senior High School Champions (City championship)

1942:

  • Senior High School Champions (City championship)

1943:

  • Senior High School Basketball Champions (Dr. Harry J. Watson Memorial Trophy)
    • (winners of the City and Provincial titles)

1944:

  • Private School League Champions (Seniors)

1945:

  • Manitoba Private School basketball title (Seniors)

1946:

  • Senior Private Schools Champions

Basketball - 1941

1944 Private School Champions

1949 Basketball

Tirbute to Coach Voisin, S.J.

The Beginnings of St. Paul's High School Basketball

Although it is unknown when the first basketball game was played at St. Paul's High School, it is clear that basketball was one of the first sports played at the school. According to the newspapers of the day, St. Paul's College played in the YMCA League as early as 1932. An article in the October 7, 1932 Manitoban indicated that "St. Paul's College will in all probability outfit their auditorium with gym equipment including baskets." This would suggest that the school would not have to rely on the YMCA to host games going forward. Intra-mural basketball was reported on in 1934 -  the first year the  St. Paul's College News was published.

In 1935 there were enough students playing basketball at the school that St. Paul's High School organized an intramural, or Inter-class, league, according to the St. Paul's College News. The high school also competed in the Inter-Faculty League. In the new school league 13 teams played with a total of 130 players. By 1936, the league was split into three divisions consisting of Flyweights, Juniors and Seniors who played for two shields and a trophy. There are earlier references to basketball at St. Paul's but it is difficult to say with certainty that  basketball was played at an organized league level before the mid-1930s,

Father Voisin, S.J. is credited with developing the competitive basketball program at the school. According to the April, 1942 Crusader, Father Voisin arrived at St. Paul's in 1938 with a passion for basketball that was unmatched by the student body. By 1941 he had revitalized the inter-class leagues, coached the junior team into the championship play-offs, guided the seniors to a Senior Championship, and coaxed the newly formed flyweights to a championship title, although there was not yet an official flyweight league.

According the Crusader, "St. Paul's now as a farm system for their Junior and Senior teams, that is unrivalled in any other high school in Western Canada."

Private Schools League and the City School League

In 1937, St. Paul's joined the newly formed Inter High School League. This league later become the City High School Basketball League. In 1944, St. Paul's College, United College, and Ravenscourt School were dropped from the City High School Basketball League. According to the St. Paul's College Crusader (February 1944), the Crusaders had been part of this league for approximately 10 years and had won the championship for the previous three years. As a result of this decision, the schools excluded decided to form a separate league known as the Manitoba Private Schools League.

St. Paul's High School were prominent members of the Manitoba Private Schools League in the 1940s.  In 1945, this League included St. John's College (joined in 1945), United College, Ravenscourt, and St. Paul's. The winner of this League competed against the winner of the Public School League for the city championship.

St. Paul's tried for several years to regain access into the City School league in the 1940s but their applications were turned down.