Bernice Carnegie

Bernice Carnegie is the Co-Founder and President of The Carnegie Initiative (CI), an organization named after her father, the legendary Canadian hockey player and changemaker Herb Carnegie. Continuing the work her father started over 60 years ago, the CI is on a mission to continue to make hockey accessible, inclusive, and diverse. As an international speaker and author, Bernice’s storytelling capabilities illuminate the struggles and triumphs of her ancestral journey, igniting a flame of understanding and the importance of inclusion.

For 17 years, Bernice led her family charity with unwavering dedication, pioneering safe school programs that have made a lasting impact across Ontario. Alongside her father, she sculpted futures through the transformative power of the Future Aces Philosophy, a message that instills ethics, character-building, and exceptional citizenship in countless youth. Additionally, Bernice works with police, corporations, and various organizations helping to introduce new perspectives to traditional ways of thinking.

In 2022, Bernice was chosen as one of the top 22 most influential people in hockey in North America. Bernice etched her name in history as part of the groundbreaking BIPOC ownership of a professional women’s hockey team, the Toronto Six, in 2021. The following hockey season, the Toronto Six became the first and, to date, the only Canadian team to hoist the prestigious Isobel Cup which will be housed at the Hockey Hall of Fame, further cementing their legacy.

Bernice unveils the rich tapestry of her family’s journey on her personal website and in the co-authored autobiography, A Fly in a Pail of Milk: The Herb Carnegie Story. In the book, she reveals how her life was shaped by lessons passed on from father to daughter, celebrating the indelible contributions of Black Canadians throughout the course of the nation’s history.

As a community leader for four decades, Bernice has been the recipient of numerous federal, provincial, and community awards for education, development, communication, speaking, and volunteerism. She is the Executive Producer of the captivating documentary Beyond Their Years whose work stands as a testament to her father’s enduring legacy, inspiring generations to come.

Bernice was born in Toronto in 1945 and was raised in North York. Though she is a renowned speaker, author, and storyteller, she feels her most significant accomplishment is the loving relationship she has with her three children, Vaughn, Brooke, and Corey.

Bill O’Flaherty

When Clarkson fans think of the modern era of Clarkson Hockey, many can point to the influence of Bill O’Flaherty on the winning culture he helped create.

Bill O’Flaherty began attending Clarkson in 1967, playing under legendary coach Len Ceglarski for two full seasons and graduating in 1971.  O’Flaherty transitioned immediately to coaching after graduation, taking a position at Clarkson first under Ceglarski, then Hall of Fame Coach,  Jerry York.  O’Flaherty remained as an assistant until York himself left to take over at Bowling Green and O’Flaherty was chosen as his successor.

O’Flaherty had immediate and consistent success with the Golden Knights, winning 21 games in his first season (1979–80) and continuing that trend for his entire time behind the bench at Walker Arena. In his second and third seasons, O’Flaherty got Clarkson 26-wins, which provided the team with their only 2 back-to-back ECAC Hockey regular season titles in school history and got them to their first NCAA tournament in over a decade.

In six seasons behind the bench, O’Flaherty achieved five 20-win seasons,  with a record of 134-59-12 (.683 winning percentage),  3 NCAA tournament berths, and 2 conference regular season titles. Billy O was selected as Spencer Penrose Award recipient as National Coach of the Year in 1981. His .683 winning percentage lands him 8th best all-time among NCAA Div. I coaches.

He coached several NHL’ers, when the path to the NHL was still difficult for college players, including Clarkson’s first Stanley Cup Champion, Colin Paterson.  Nine Golden Knights would achieve All-American status under Coach O’Flaherty.  In the ECAC, which included BU, BC, Northeastern, UNH among others at the time, O’Flaherty would coach two players named ECAC Player of the Year (Ed Small 1981 & Steve Cruickshank 1982), Rookie of the Year Don Sylvestri, and Dave Fretz, who was named to the ECAC Top 50 players of all time.  O’Flaherty was named ECAC Coach of the Year in 1981,

After his coaching career, O’Flaherty became Clarkson Athletic Director and held the post for more than a decade, where he would oversee the continued success of the Hockey program and the growth of sports offerings during his time.

Bill moved to the NHL to serve as Director of Player Personnel for the LA Kings. With Dave Taylor as the GM of LA Kings, they helped build the framework for what would become 2 Stanley Cup teams in the 2000’s.

O’Flaherty’s eye for the details of the game would lead him to stay in the game at the highest level as a scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Director of Pro Scouting for Florida Panthers until 2010.

Bill is the son of former NHLer John “Peanuts” O’Flaherty who spent most of his career in the minor leagues for the Pittsburgh Hornets. Bill’s brother Gerry O’Flaherty was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1970 and spent parts of 8 seasons in the NHL as a player, eventually winning 3 Stanley Cups as a scout.

Humber College Athletics

Humber College has a rich and storied athletics tradition in Etobicoke, with intercollegiate competition officially beginning in 1967. It only took one year before the Hawks claimed their first Ontario College Athletic Association (OCAA) provincial title – a women’s curling gold medal in the winter of 1969.

While Humber now boasts the most extensive varsity program in the country, with 20 men’s and women’s squads, it still adheres to the same ‘athletics for all’ philosophy that was established over a half century ago. Along with varsity, the department also operates a vigorous intramural program with over 15 sports and annual events at both the North and Lakeshore campus, as well as an expansive recreational menu.

Humber traditionally has considered athletics to be an integral part of the educational experience – highlighted by its national-best 141 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Academic All-Canadian selections. This award is one of the most prestigious honours bestowed upon a student-athlete, epitomizing their commitment to academic success and athletic achievement.

The primary standard had been success against its 27 peer institutions in the OCAA, where the Hawks squads have captured more than 330 gold medals since 1969 – by far the most in the province.

It wasn’t until 1991 when Humber was able to conquer the national mountaintop, as the men’s basketball program won Humber’s first CCAA title. Since then, the Hawks have gone on to capture 66 more national gold medals, setting a new standard that no college in the country can match.

The college’s international imprint has begun to grow over the last two decades, with student-athletes going on to play professionally overseas or representing Canada in basketball, volleyball, golf, curling, badminton, and more.

The Olympics, the biggest sporting event in the world, has seen a handful of Hawks compete, including a duo from Humber badminton in the upcoming games in Paris 2024.

Humber Athletics and the Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame have been synonymous for more than two decades, with nearly 100 student-athletes receiving scholarships during that span. Former Humber athletic director Doug Fox – who played an integral role in Humber’s collaboration with the ESHOF – was inducted into the hall in 2013, while retired Sports Information Director Jim Bialek was on the board of governors for nearly a decade.

Helen and Glenn Jones

Helen Jones was the Team Manager of The West Toronto Barracudas, a Special Olympics Swim Team, from 1996 until 2022, 26 years. Glenn came on board in 2009 and played a strong role as part of the leadership of the team.

Being around individuals with an intellectual disability was not new to them. Helen grew up with a sister with Down Syndrome and they have very close friends whose daughter has Down Syndrome. When their son was attending the University of Toronto, he and a friend who had a brother with Down Syndrome decided to start a Special Olympics swim team. They were both on the University of Toronto Swim Team, and they recruited a number of their fellow team mates to volunteer as coaches. That’s how the Barracudas Swim Team was born back in 1996. Helen knew from it’s start that she wanted to play a role in the team’s development.

The Barracudas are still going strong That is thanks to all the committed volunteer coaches and dedicated swimmers and their families over so
many years. Helen and Glenn feel very honoured to be recognized for their work with Special Olympics.