Galt’s Homer ‘Spike’ McConnell, who worked for years at Union Gas, was a fixture in local sports for a couple of decades.
McConnell served on the Galt Minor Hockey executive beginning in 1971, and continued until 1979. He was a bantam travel hockey coach for five years, and from 1977 to 1979 served on the Hub League executive. In 1977 he began his first term as president of the Hub League, and served a second term in 1978-79.
For his efforts with the Hub League, he was awarded the Jim Inglis Memorial Award in 1981.
McConnell was an Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) executive member, starting in 1979, and in 1983-84 he was the OMHA Executive member in charge of the Paris Chateau bantam team ‘277C’.
The next year he was awarded a Life membership plaque to the Hub League Hockey Association, and in 1986 he was presented with a certificate in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development of hockey in the province of Ontario.
McConnell instituted a program called “Drugs and Sports Don’t Mix” into coaching and training certification clinics, and for this, the Ministry of the Solicitor General presented a plaque to the OMHA because of his work with the Niagara Regional Police.
In 1988 McConnell received a plaque from the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) for “Service to Minor Hockey in Ontario.”
McConnell retired from the OMHA in 1991 and that very same year received a life membership from the Grand Valley Minor Hockey League.
In 1991 he was also recognized with a Hockey Development Centre of Ontario Award for his work as program coordinator for the Hockey Trainers Certification Program.
But the recognition didn’t end there. McConnell’s impact was underscored with a Special Achievement Award from the Province of Ontario for distinguished contributions to the field of fitness and amateur sport.
During his time as a hockey volunteer, he had been chairman of the OMHA Technical Committee, a member of the OMHA Development Communications Committee, and administrator of the Hockey Trainer’s Certification program.
That year he also received the Syl Apps Award for hockey contributions, and in 1997 received the Richmond Award.