Briercrest College Athletics is pleased to announce the hiring of Dwight Olney as the head coach of the women’s basketball program. Olney brings a wealth of local educational and basketball experience to the role. He also brings a vast educational background having a Bachelor of religious Education from Briercrest College, a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Waterloo, a Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University and a Master of Education from Jones International University.

Briercrest Athletic Director Nigel Mullan is excited to see what Olney will add to the Athletic department and women’s basketball program.

“We feel that Dwight’s experience in and around our community will help him develop a great women’s basketball program,” Mullan said. “His success as a coach has been evident; Dwight has developed a number of talented athletes who have gone on to play post-secondary and we are excited for him to join our team.”

Olney has NCCP Level II certification and has been coaching basketball since 1984, everywhere from the elementary level to the high school and club level. He has coached female players for 29 of those years, most recently helping coach the Caronport High School girl’s program to back-to-back provincial championships.

Past coaching accolades include coaching an Ontario senior girl’s high school program to six straight county championships which included a 52-game win streak. Since moving back to Saskatchewan, his coaching highlights include seven high school city final appearances, and winning three provincial gold medals along with several bronze and silver. He has also kept his own basketball playing skills alive by playing pick-up basketball twice a week in the spring with 20+ local students.

Olney spoke about the special opportunity to coach at Briercrest.

“For me, coaching at Briercrest means an opportunity to continue to build into a great organization that has been a big part of my life,” he said. “All seven members of my family have attended either CHS or the College. Several, including myself, have worked here in other capacities. This job provides me with the chance to be a part of my alma mater in a role where I feel great passion. Coaching college-aged women also means an opportunity to impact young lives at a seminal point in their personal and spiritual journey.”

He is excited at the opportunity to help build something special with the program.

“What excites me is the opportunity to build a new program with a fresh new positive culture that focuses on winning basketball, leadership development, friendship enrichment, life skills, educational commitment and spiritual enrichment,” he explained. “I am excited to motivate female athletes in their personal lives and on the court, and to teach these fine young women that by mimicking Christ, they can become the best person and best team player they can be.”

Olney has several priorities that he is focusing on, both in the short-term and more long-term.

“Obviously, the first priority is to inspire returning players and recruit new players who are excited about being part of a new build; young women who love the Lord and love the game of basketball,” he explained. “Working towards the goal of winning basketball games is an easy transfer into learning how to win in life. And winning in life, as I see it, has a lot to do with a paradigm of dying to self, giving up the natural human rights that we are tempted to claim, and instead pursuing all that God has intended for those who want to be great in His Kingdom.”

“I want to attract and retain good players who buy into the mission of the school,” he continued. “Establishing a strong reputation of a perennial winning women’s basketball program is clearly my long term goal. In every year of my coaching experience, I have always kept the focus on the joy and satisfaction of ‘putting a banner on the wall.’”

Coach Dwight Olney is completing his employment as Principal at Lindale School, so will begin working part-time before moving to full time later in July.

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