For Liz Hart-Hinkle, her success in basketball has provided her the opportunity to develop into a dedicated teacher and coach.
Hart-Hinkle, who was born in Toronto and moved to Brantford at a young age, discussed her start in sports.
“I was first involved with swimming, [and] did some softball and T-ball in the community. I had some friends from those sports who played basketball in the winter which got me started with that. I went on to play Brantford CYO girls basketball, and then I switched to the Briers’ basketball program where I played in the house league,” she said. “I had good height, but was also athletic, so I was invited to come play on the traveling club team that Briers sponsored out of the house league. And so that’s really how I grew and developed…and began my love for basketball.”
During this time, Hart-Hinkle would develop the foundation she needed for her continued success on the court.
“I was competitive. I wanted to win. I enjoyed being with the other girls on the team and working together and challenging myself to be better. So those are all things that appealed to me and just being naturally competitive…basketball certainly gave an outlet for that,” Hart Hinkle noted. “I was coached by Ross Enslav and Gerry Vitiello who really helped me with the fundamentals early on [and, certainly learned a lot from them.”
Along with being part of the Briers program, Hart-Hinkle also played on the Brantford Collegiate Institute’s girl’s high school team and eventually transferred to North Park Collegiate.
“I lived around the corner from BCI, and walked to school…Bonnie Blunt was physical education teacher and coach there…. everybody loved her and I enjoyed having her as a coach and as a teacher. So, I really appreciated playing there and Bonnie did a great job with teaching us the fundamentals and challenging us,” Hart-Hinkle said. “I would end up transferring to North Park, and Gerry Vitiello was my coach when I was there. I knew all the girls because we had played Briars together [and] we had a great season. That was also when the Ontario championships were hosted at Assumption for the first time [which] was exciting to have that in Brantford.”
Nevertheless, Hart-Hinkle started making a name for herself on the provincial basketball scene.
“I’ve been involved with the Ontario Basketball program every summer since I was 16. How it would work was that you would try out for your regional team, and then you would train with them… [eventually going to] a big tournament that was for each region to play each other. And that’s where players would get chosen for the provincial team. Through that, as you make the provincial team and start progressing and doing well, that’s how you would get on to the junior national program,” explained Hart-Hinkle. “Because of my involvement with Ontario Basketball and with the provincial team for the summer games tournaments…I got my name out there for an invite to the junior national team. I then made that team, [and] that was my first experience with Canada Basketball.”
After graduating from high school, Hart-Hinkle would go to the University of Toronto, being coached by the legendary women’s varsity coach, Michèle Bélanger. During her time there, the team always played at a high level and captured two silver medals in the national finals during the 1993-94 and 1995-96 seasons.
“I certainly knew some girls from the University of Toronto who I played provincial basketball with…so, the team really came together perfectly. I knew that I would learn [and] I would earn every minute that I got on the court when I was there. And so that was appealing to me…having to work for every minute…[and] our coach was Michèle Bélanger, who’s a great lady. I respected her as a person and a coach,” she reflected. “Toronto was where I needed to be, and that was a great decision. I had a great time there. And I look back on those years very fondly [as] we were always expected to win and be competitive every time we stepped out on to the court.”
With all of her success on the court, Hart-Hinkle was also driven to get a good education.
“I’d always wanted to be a teacher since I was very young, but I didn’t kind of know what kind of teaching I wanted to do…but would [discover that] physical and health education was a great fit for me. And I really enjoyed my coursework and the things that I learned during my time at U of T. I also did a minor in history, and I loved my experience with both the history and physical and health education faculties. They were great faculty there, which I knew was going to help me be a good teacher one day,” she said.
After graduating, Hart Hinkle played with the National team for a number of years, capturing a silver medal at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg in 1999.
“That was a highlight for me….to win the silver medal [and] having it be in Canada [with] all the community support and everyone in the city glad to have the athletes around from the different countries. And seeing all the other sports and athletes involved and cheering for other Canadians. That was an awesome experience,” recalled Hart-Hinkle.
Hart-Hinkle would also play overseas, in Germany, for a number of years.
“That was a great opportunity to live in another country and learn about a different culture and experience that and meet different people. It was a wonderful opportunity, and one that I look back on very fondly…being able to travel and have the freedom to do that was a wonderful thing,” she said.
However, in 2000, Hart-Hinkle was on the cusp of playing for the national team at the Olympics in Sydney.
“They picked 15 players to be on the team, but only 12 would travel [and] I thought I was going to go, but I didn’t. I came to realize that disappointment happens when you’re an athlete sometimes…experiencing the ups and downs of a sport. That was a tough one though. But again, I relied on my faith and the fact that I know that God is good and has a plan for me [and] that I was going to be okay,” described Hart-Hinkle.
Nevertheless, since retiring from playing basketball in 2001, Hart-Hinkle has devoted her time and career path to coaching and education.
“I had always done a little bit of coaching in the summers with camps…Canada Basketball sent me to different places to do some coaching with kids. I always knew that I wanted to be involved with coaching at some point, because you certainly want to give back. When so many people have poured the time and effort into you…it’s just right to be able to do that for someone else,” Hart-Hinkle noted. “Once I retired from basketball…I went back and finished Teachers College, and then started working as well as doing some coaching…It was always my plan to be involved with physical health education, but then also to be able to coach. I taught in Ancaster and Oakville before eventually moving to the south.”
In 2005, Hart-Hinkle would get married and move to the United States, settling in the Chicago area until moving to her current home in Chattanooga, Tennessee where she has lived with her family since 2019.
“I’m at a private Christian school, which is Kindergarten to Grade 12…I am the elementary physical education teacher for kindergarten through Grade 5. I also coach volleyball for the elementary team, but then I’m able to be an assistant with the varsity team for high school,” she said. “I like the mix…I enjoy my time coaching the younger students, but I also appreciate being with high school students and coaching them in basketball. And that’s been a great opportunity and a great fit for me to be able to coach the girls there. And my sons go to school there and are involved with sport…so I can see them and support them. It’s a very supportive and positive community at our school, and so it’s been really good for everybody in my family.”
And for all her success on court, Hart-Hinkle has been recognized by being enshrined into the Brantford and Area Sports Hall of Recognition for the class of 2025.
“I’m humbled by it, but it’s very exciting [and] it was a surprise when I got a message saying they would like to nominate me and if I wanted to be a part of it. I love my hometown. I still have family there [and] I love the community. Brantford was a great place to grow up and to be involved with sport. For them to want and include me [in the hall] …was just very humbling,” conclude Hart-Hinkle.
