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 It is with great sadness that on 22 May Scottish Basketball
learned of the passing of Bill McGuinness, former Chairman and Honorary Vice
President of basketballscotland.
Bill was head of
the PE department of Perth High School in 1962 when he organised
basketball’s first schoolboys’ international match against England, which took place in Perth Town Hall
and memorably, for the packed hall, produced a win for Scotland.
When National
Schools Cup
competitions were introduced in the late 1960’s Bill
was the catalyst for a group of PE
teachers who established the Scottish Schools Basketball Association
with Bill
being appointed as the Secretary.
In 1969
Bill moved to Jordanhill
College of Education in Glasgow
and took his passion for basketball with him. On taking responsibility
for the College’s basketball programme, his enthusiasm for preparing and
promoting matches would also involve his family, as he trained his two
sons
Gordon and Stuart to operate the new electronic scoreboard and fill in
the
score sheet for Jordanhill home games.
However
more importantly for the
development of Scottish basketball, Bill ensured that all PE teachers
graduating from Jordanhill would know everything about his beloved
sport. The impact of this influence ensured that
schoolchildren throughout Scotland
were introduced to the fun and excitement of the sport of basketball,
not only
in class, but in the many new extra curricular school clubs which were
formed.
Bill
made many contributions to the sport
in Scotland. His experience as a player, club secretary,
coach, FIBA referee, and as a member of many local and national
committees,
made him a very popular and valuable Chairman of the governing body basketballscotland. Bill was first
elected in 1980 and served for
10 years.
Bill was much
loved and respected by all who knew him and he will
be sorely missed by all his many friends in basketball.
Bill is survived
by his wife of 57 years Rena, sons
Gordon and Stuart, and grandchildren Molly, Fraser, Jack and Charlie.
Bill's funeral
will take place at
the Clydebank Crematorium on Tuesday 1 June at 11.30am.
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