Honoured Members Database

Of all the great players and coaches who have represented senior varsity girls basketball at Portage Collegiate Institute, no other individual can compare with Alfred Rowley when it comes to contributions to the program.

Known affectionately as “Ralph” to all who knew him, Rowley put together a coaching resumé that staggers the imagination when it comes to longevity.

From 1945-1981, he was the head coach for the P.C.I. Pats, and over the final 31 seasons of his 37-year tenure led the Pats to an overall record above .500.

“He was a really patient man who put a ton of time into promoting girls' basketball,” said Sheila Henderson, who was not only a cousin of Rowley's, but also played for him as a forward in the latter half of the 1970s. “He never once complained about the time he was putting in, either. He was very prepared and very organized. He had a clear vision of what he wanted to accomplish.”

Rowley, who died on November 3 of last year from natural causes at the age of 88, had his legacy at the school ensured when P.C.I.'s female athlete of the year award was renamed the Ralph Rowley Award in his honour. He was inducted into the Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985.

But it was not just basketball where Rowley left his imprint on the Portage la Prairie sports scene. He also was heavily involved with the Portage Tennis Club, acting as an instructor and competing regularly as a member for several decades. Fellow inductee Jimmy Ioanidis was a Rowley protégé, and many owe their love of the game of tennis to Rowley's influence.

When it comes to those making positive contributions to the well-being of their community's sporting foundation, Ralph Rowley will always be remembered for providing some of the most sturdy and enduring building blocks Portage la Prairie will ever have.  Rowley is also inducted into the Hall of Fame for his achievements in tennis.

Ralph Rowley is also a member of the Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame.