St. Clair College is mourning the loss of former Athletic Director Alex Hoffman who passed away earlier today.

Al Hoffman was the Athletic Director at St. Clair College from its inception in 1967 and oversaw the department until his retirement in 1995. He served at St. Clair College under many titles including; Chairman of Physical Education, Recreation and Athletics, Director of Student Services, Director of Student Life and Athletics, Director of Policy, Operational Review and Athletics and Director of Student Life, Athletics and Facilities.

Hoffman’s contribution to the OCAA began as a founding member in 1967. He served on the OCAA Executive first as President in 1969-70 and 1970-71. Hoffman then served as Past President for the next two years. He received the ‘Award of Excellence’ from the OCAA in 1977. During that time he was also the Men’s Basketball Coach at St. Clair from 1967-68 to 1979-80 compiling an impressive 128-42 OCAA Record and was given the Coach of the Year Award in 1979. Hoffman researched, established and funded the first Athletic Scholarship program in the OCAA. In addition, Hoffman was the President of the CCAA from 1978-82. Previous to this he served as CCAA Secretary and Convenor for Men’s Basketball from 1972-77. Hoffman was inducted into the OCAA Hall of Fame in 2005 in the Builder Category.

Hoffman held several educational attainments including a Doctoral Candidate (Education), Faculty of Law and Masters of Education (Major Thesis) from Wayne State University. He held a Bachelor of Physical Education and Health Education (Honours) from the University of Windsor and a Permanent Ontario High School Teacher’s Certificate - Type A. Hoffman also had a Bachelor of Arts (Honours English) from Assumption University. His educational attainments allowed him to write and publish numerous works in the field of Athletics and Student Life.

St. Clair annually gives out the Athlete of the Year for Outstanding Achievement in honour of Al Hoffman with the criteria below:

         The award recognizes intercollegiate athletes who
         perform at a high level of athletic excellence combined          with sound scholastic achievement; who have excelled          in athletic competition at the college, regional,          provincial and/or national levels; whose efforts have          contributed to the success, competitiveness,          enhancement and overall quality of their respective          sport. This award is named after former Athletic          Director, Al Hoffman who has been inducted into the          OCAA and Windsor Essex County Sports Hall
         of Fame. Starting in 2007, this award recognizes          the most outstanding Male and Female Varsity          Athletes at St. Clair College.

St. Clair College is forever in debt to Hoffman’s efforts who in many ways was the architect of athletics not only on the campus but provincially and nationally.