Todd Hinds
Builder (2024)
Wrtestling
Todd Hinds was the provincial high school wrestling champion in Ontario three times as a student at Hammarskjold High School in Thunder Bay.
He was the Canadian university champion twice with the Manitoba Bisons.
His grip on wrestling as a coach in Saskatoon is lasting.
Hinds was head coach of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies wrestling program for 17 years. Twenty-two of his athletes finished first in the conference, making them the best in the west. Nine of his Huskies were Canadian university champions.
Hinds coached with the Saskatoon Wrestling Club. He promoted high performance with the Saskatchewan Amateur Wrestling Association. Nine of his athletes made the Canadian national junior team. Seven were on the Canadian senior team.
He was a coach with the national team for a decade. When women’s wrestling was added to the Olympics in 2004 in Athens, Hinds was there. He was at the corner of the mat for lightweight Tonya Verbeek of Ontario when she won silver. He saw middleweight Viola Yanik, a Huskie, win three of her four matches and finish fifth.
Hinds coached Eric Kirschner, who went to the Commonwealth Games. He coached Jeff Adamson, who went to the Pan-American Games. He coached Jillian Gallays, who went to the world championships.
Said Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame inductee Gil Wist: “Mostly what I respect about Todd was the dedication and enthusiasm he brought to his job. He was always willing to learn and improve as a coach.”
** Deceased