Brian Jonker has been a dedicated Head Coach for Mohawk Men’s Varsity Basketball team since 2005, leading them to two Provincial Gold Medals, two Silver, three National Tournament Appearances, and their first ever National Championship in 2012. Through his education in Mohawk’s Radio Broadcasting program and an on-campus leadership position with the Students’ Association Committee (SAC), Brian developed communication skills that have assisted him in both his role as a coach and his full-time job as a Part and Facility Manager at Tigercat Industry Inc in Brantford, Ontario.

Over the years, Brian’s involvement with junior basketball, to his success at both Assumption High School in Brantford and at Mohawk, Brian’s strength has always been his interaction with his players. He tries to understand what kind of person they want to be and works hard to help them become the person he knows they can be. No one will ever know how many of the late-night texts, the arm-around-the-shoulder conferences, the post-practice rides home – have nothing to do with basketball. He is a Coach to his players in all the true meanings of the word.

If you could go back in time, what 1 piece of advice would you give to yourself on the first day of College?

Focus on the task in front of you and put everything you have into it. Enjoy and embrace the entire experience of College.

How has your education at Mohawk prepared and supported you throughout your career?

I use my communication skills every day in managing and coaching people. Some of those skills were enhanced and refined through my radio broadcasting days at Mohawk.

If you could sit down and have a conversation with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be? Why?

As a sports fan growing up I would love to sit down with Magic Johnson. I believe he would have great stories to share about sport and life as a successful businessman.

If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to? Why?

I don’t tend to think about the past other than my personal memories. I am much more focused on what comes next.