Dave Dobson coached both Egan boys in high school and William in the Ottawa Valley Vikings program, which Dobson founded. He also mentored Ed in coaching. (Janice Hollingworth Egan photo)
Dave Dobson loved walking into a gym filled with athletes enjoying the sport he loved so much.
Mr. Volleyball, as he was known to many, was a special friend of the Egan family – Ed, Janice and their kids William, Jack and Rebecca so the news of his recent death hit them particularly hard.
Dobson coached both boys in high school and William in the Ottawa Valley Vikings program, which Dobson founded. He also mentored Ed in coaching and created a lasting bond with the Egans, stopping by their Micksburg-area farm most days to feed the barn cats and say hello.
Dobson was a teacher for 28 years in the Durham Region. At his first job, every teacher was required to help with a club or a sport and no one had signed up for volleyball, so he chose that one – and this was the start of a 50-year journey of coaching.
He coached at the high school level and in clubs and in 1977 joined Durham College as the head coach for the men’s volleyball program, spending 10 years in the role before going on to coach several other college teams. In the off-season Dobson would run clinics, tournaments, fundraisers and summer camps. Three of Dobson’s former players have even gone on to play in the Olympics.
Janice said he was always searching for ways to make volleyball accessible to more youth, efforts that earned him numerous provincial and national coaching awards, as well as a spot on the Durham College Wall of Fame.
Upon his retirement, Dobson moved back to the area to care for his parents.
The Egans helped Dobson run the Spikes on the Beach program, various tournaments, and he inspired the family to create the Opeongo Volleyball Camp, which sees more than 120 youth coming out.
Janice said Dobson’s goal in life was to use his resources to help others reach their full potential.
Almost everywhere Dobson went, he encountered people he’d connected with through volleyball, many of them letting him know that he’d had a big impact. Janice witnessed this firsthand on many an occasion.
Janice said his commitment to his community was admirable.
Visitation will be held at the Fraser-Morris & Heubner Funeral Home in Cobden, on Saturday, March 1, from 11 a.m. until 1:45 p.m., followed by a 2 p.m. service at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Cobden.
A Celebration of Dave’s Life will be held in Oshawa at Durham Colleges Athletic Wellness Center on March 29 from 1 until 4 p.m.
(Written by Sherry Haaima)