WOGDEN NAMED OCAA GOLF COACH OF THE YEAR

Bill Wogden of the Georgian Grizzlies is the 2021 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Golf Coach of the Year.

An assistant coach with the Grizzlies during the 2019-20 season, Wogden took over the head role this year. In what was a shotgun start to the 2021 season with the OCAA championship being moved up two weeks, the Georgian men performed admirably at provincials, landing on the OCAA podium for the first time since 2017.

Georgian's collective bronze medal effort was highlighted by Christian Leduc's (Innisfil) individual bronze medal, just the second Grizzly to finish in the top three provincially in seven championships. Along with Joshua Taylor (Barrie) and Noah Leduc (Innisfil), three Grizzlies placed in the Top 10 at Crimson Ridge in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

Wogden has over 40 years of experience as a PGA golf professional with tremendous skills as a coach, leader and mentor for student-athletes both on and off the course. He also practices what he teaches as he continues to play in golf events to this day and is the winner of over 20 professional events in his career.

He played an instrumental role in the success of the Georgian women's team in 2019-20, which earned a bronze medal at the provincial championships and a fourth-place finish at the national championships.

Prior to joining the Grizzlies, Wogden spent over 25 years as the head golf professional locally at the Barrie Country Club where he played a key role in the development of the BCC Academy and other programs designed to help develop the skills of players of all levels of golf.

Wogden, who is OCAA's nominee for national golf coach of the year, will now lead his Grizzlies into the 2021 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Golf National Championships, presented by PING. The event takes place at the Ambassador Golf Club in Windsor, Ont., from Oct. 11-15 and is hosted by St. Clair College.

-from OCAA