William W. Hirtle
William Hirtle was a legendary teacher and coach at Bridgetown Regional High School and also coached summer Track and Field with the Bridgetown Royal Canadian Legion Track and Field Club.
In 1952, William Hirtle started his illustrious career as the Track and Field coach at B.R.H.S. Bill has many fond memories of the 1953 season. Competing at the prestigious Acadia Relays, Nova Scotia Headmasters High School Track and Field Championships, his team won the “B” Overall Nova Scotia Championship. Lloyd Robinson won the 440 Yard Dash, breaking the Provincial record set in 1932 by Fred Hicks of New Glasgow. Lloyd also won the 1 Mile, just missing the Acadia relays record by 2/5ths of a second. Jim Saunders won the high jump. The 440 Yard Relay team, consisting of Lloyd Robinson, Ernie Bauchman, Thurston Kaulback and Don Lewis , won the event and set a new Provincial record, breaking the previous mark that had stood since 1936.
From 1952 to 1964, William Hirtle’s athletes and teams continued to win many team titles and individual championships at the Acadia relays, at the Headmasters Track and Field Championships and at the Headmasters Cross Country Championships. Many athletes went on to compete and win individual accolades and team titles at the Royal Canadian Legion Nova Scotia Championships, Eastern Canadian Championships, Antigonish Highland
Games, Royal Canadian Legion Canadian Championships and at the British Empire Games Time Trials.
In 1963, William Hirtle coached six Bridgetown athletes that were named to the Royal Canadian Legion Nova Scotia team and who qualified for the R.C.L. Canadian Championships in Waterloo, Ontario. Coach Hirtle was named Head Coach of the Nova Scotia team.
Under Bill’s guidance, those six Track and Field athletes would create one of the greatest team performances in the annals of Nova Scotia sport history, in any sport. The 1963 team members of Scott Eaton, Richard Foot, Howie Jackson, David Jones, Bobby Lockett and John McIsaac would win many events and in the process of doing so, set four Canadian records.
John McIsaac won the Canadian Juvenile Championship in the 2 Mile and Bobby Lockett the Silver Medal in a historic one, two finish. Howie Jackson set a Canadian Juvenile record in Hop, Step and Jump.(Triple Jump) Dave Jones set the Canadian Junior Record in the Shot Put. John McIsaac broke the Canadian Juvenile 2 Mile Record set by Bruce Kidd and his record was then broken by teammate Bobby Lockett later in the summer.
Bill Hirtle is remembered and deeply respected by all of his former athletes. His dedication, his time commitment and his attention to detail are truly legendary.
William Hirtle has been the recipient of the Nova Scotia Headmasters Award for his contribution to High School Athletics in Nova Scotia. In 1976, the track at B.R.H.S. was dedicated in Bill’s name. In 1999, Bill was named Nova Scotia Volunteer of the Year. He continues to give to his community in countless ways.