Paul Mason – Coach Extraordinaire

By Frank Mitchell | February 25, 2018
  • Type: Builder
  • Sport(s): Baseball and Hockey
  • Year: 2017

Paul is the youngest of 4 children of Joe and Peggy Mason, who grew up in Humber Park playing any and all sports he could, but especially baseball and hockey; and he still enjoys ‘oldtimers’ in the latter today. 1979 was the beginning of his coaching career when his father asked him to help out with a youth baseball team … and he followed it up that winter coaching an Atom hockey team.Until he went to St. F. X. in 1987, Paul often coached two teams – one in each season. Ironically while in Antigonish, he coached the local team to a provincial title, by defeating Cole Harbour Pee Wees, the first of many such championships. Upon returning home, he would coach at that level for the next 13 years and to date has won some 20 provincial championships and more, the majority at the entry level in both sports, although he has worked with older kids, his success has been in moulding young minds and hearts.

HOCKEY: Those teams medalled every year they went to the Atlantics; three times winning gold. He also coached high school girls and Ross Road Junior High when he became principal of the school in 2010 – and around that time he coached 3 teams in one season. Although the year his team won Bantam AA is considered his most memorable, he has returned to the Pee Wee level ever since. Paul was recognized by Hockey Nova Scotia with the prestigious Award of Merit; and HNS Coach-of-the-Year in 2011.

BASEBALL: Paul coached Mosquito ball from 1979 until his son began playing; coached with friend Todd Parker for 7 years and upon returning to Pee Wee, much like his father before him, Paul’s son Liam joined as an assistant coach – Liam remains there today. Baseball Nova Scotia has honoured Paul with Coach-of-the-Year… and several of his teams as Team-of-the-Year; and he received a lifetime achievement award from Cole Harbour Minor Baseball, winning titles at Mosquito (u11) and PeeWee (u13) levels. So that is 38 years and counting.

He has also served on many organizing committees and chaired provincial and Atlantic Championships; assisted the Cole Harbour as the co-founder of the Joe Lamontagne March Break Tournament (in its 36th year), and the Sidney Crosby shootout… One summer he filled as many as 5 roles from President of Humber Park baseball to coach or assistant-coach of 4 teams! Wow! Dedication and stamina ! Paul has been fortunate to coach many very able and great kids, and is proud to say he has remained friends with many of them: three members of his present coaching staff were former players. As he has “given back to youth”; he has taught others to do the same. It would be gross understatement to suggest that of all of his charges perhaps Sidney Crosby is the best-known; however there are many others who have gone on to success at high levels, including other future professionals. Paul coached Sid for 2 years in each sport, and Crosby, in his Olympic profile, named Paul Mason as the coach who influenced him the most. He is one of the major organizers of the Sidney Crosby Hockey School, which as put helped Cole harbor and NS ‘on the map’, so to speak. A builder for kids that has encompassed a lifetime and helped many thousands of youth received a good start in sport and life. In the past year he coached 4 players whose fathers he had coached previously.

And Paul Mason had his role models as well: Clary Mullane and father Joe, who instilled in him a strong sense of community and the importance of volunteering. And one cannot forget his mother, Peggy, for her kind nature, which he also strives to emulate. And then there are his children (Liam and Kirsti) who are among his greatest supporters and a wonderful motivation for Paul – and like the proverbial apples that do not fall far from the tree – both help out with minor sports within their community. His wife, Dana, is a competitive marathon runner and long time ringette coach.

Cole Harbour is very fortunate  in having generations of such quality people to act as mentors and role models for generations of youth. It is one of your most important resources.