A native of Newmarket, Vic Tugwell started his bowling career at the age of ten at Odeon Bowl. Vic was born on January 17, 1949, the youngest of four boys. Of the four boys, Vic was the only one to take up the sport of 5 Pin Bowling.
Vic was a teenager when organized bowling started to grow. The formation of the Master Bowlers Association, the Ontario Bowlers Congress and the Youth Bowling Council, along with meeting bowlers like Henry Knuckey, Tom Horton and Al Snow, influenced Vic’s interest at the coaching level. During that time, Marg Ingram was Program Director and after graduating from the YBC, Vic continued helping out. Unlike many other adult bowlers who get involved with the YBC, usually as a result of their children’s participation, Vic developed through the ranks as Scorekeeper, Coach, Supervisor and eventually the Master Bowlers, because of the love for the game. He had no children bowling in the YBC.
While coaching the YBC seniors at Newmarket Bowlerama, Vic took the Mixed team to the Ontario Winter Games in Kingston, where they were victorious in winning the gold medal. When the YBC zone rep’s position became vacant, in 1983, Vic stepped in and filled the gap. During this time, Vic was coach of the YBC’s single competitors at the Four Steps to Stardom National Championships, in St. John’s Newfoundland.
Vic bowled on four Provincial Open teams for York Simcoe and his first appearance was in 1972 on the Mixed team. This was followed by appearances in 1979 and 1986 on the Mixed team and 1981 as the Men’s Singles Champion. However, Vic has made nine trips to the Provincial Finals, in Hamilton, as a coach. There were five Mixed Teams and four Men’s Teams, all under the York Simcoe banner. His first experience came in 1977, as coach of the Mixed team. That team included tonight’s inductees Al Snow, Jim Hoult and Marianne Corbet. The Men’s Team, in 1989, included inductees Geoff Stevens and Tom Horton. It was, however, a Mixed Team, in 1984, that Vic fondly remembers. The team didn’t win many matches, but, through Vic’s dedication, hard work and enthusiasm, each member of that team produced personal bests.
Bowling has a way of bringing people together. While bowling in the Masters, Vic met Allison Schnitzler, and, in 1983, they married. Their two son’s, Michael, who is fourteen, and Matthew, who is nine, are involved in hockey.
Vic supported Allison while she went back to school to become a Registered Nurse. Today, Vic is employed by John Forsythe Shirt Co., as Vice-President of Finance. Besides being the trainer on Matthew’s hockey team, Vic enjoys the occasional game of golf.
The consensus is that Vic was recognized, by many of our veteran bowlers, as the best coach during his bowling period and tonight joins an elite group of individuals as our first “Coach” inducted into the York Simcoe Hall of Fame.