One of the original Maritime Women’s Basketball Association owners reached a remarkable milestone in Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association women’s basketball conference.
Mark Forward reached the 300-win mark for his Mount St. Vincent University Mystics on Saturday.
The Mystics gave Forward his milestone victory with a 63-49 win over Fredericton’s St. Thomas University Tommies.
Forward is the original owner of the MWBA’s Halifax Hornets. He was head coach when the Hornets won the inaugural Pro*Line Stadium Series Legacy Cup championship in 2022.
The following is from Mount St. Vincent’s athletic department:
After reaching his 15-year milestone as head coach of the women’s basketball team this September, coach Mark Forward hit a new career high, capturing his 300th career win on Saturday, with a 63-49 Mystics victory over the St. Thomas University Tommies.
That’s 12,000 minutes of pacing the sidelines, strategizing, agreeing (and disagreeing) with calls, and most importantly, encouraging his student athletes to dig deep and play with the intensity and determination that comes when a coach truly believes in you. That’s what Coach Forward does. He believes – in you, and in the power of a team.
Forward started his journey with the Mount back in 1987 as a member of the men’s basketball team. He returned to the Mount as an assistant coach for that program, and took the helm of the women’s basketball program in 2009. Under his leadership, the Mount has been established as one of the top Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association programs.
“Mark has worked extremely hard to develop his coaching skills and is widely known for his passion to the game and his belief and commitment to his players,” says former MSVU athletic director June Lumsden. “Most importantly, his focus has always been on the student-athlete experience and his willingness to put in the effort to ensure that his players have the best experience possible.”
We’d be remiss not to mention all of the extraordinary Mystics alumni that have been a part of these last 300 wins, making the milestone possible. The talent and dedication of Mystics players throughout the years has thrived under Coach Forward’s leadership, making the program what it is today.
That sentiment is shared by Lyndsay MacKinnon, a Mystics Alum ’10, who was on Coach Forward’s first team.
“What I really appreciated about Mark was that he understood. He understood what playing for the Mount meant. He understood the expectations and routines. He understood, and knew, the people that made the program successful. And most importantly, he understood how we (the players) were feeling that first season–and he respected that.”
Current Mystics captains, Ashleigh Marshall and Amanda Pearcy, are also appreciative of their experience under Coach Forward’s leadership. “He always pushes us to be our best, and ensures that he is giving 110% effort back to us”, says the co-captains. “He shows us on and off the court how much we are cared for within this program, and he creates relationships with his players that will last a lifetime.”
The 2018-19 CCAA Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year, Forward is a five-time ACAA coach of the year, including his inaugural season where he led the Mystics to a silver medal finish at the CCAA championship that year. Under his leadership, the Mystics have earned five ACAA championship banners.
“Mark is the backbone of the women’s basketball program here at the Mount,” says current Director of Athletics and Recreation, Angela Barrett-Jewers. “He cares deeply for his players and gives 100% in everything he does to ensure they succeed on the court and in the classroom while giving back to the community. We’re very lucky to have him here.”
– Mark Forward coaching the MWBA’s Halifax Hornets (DWinston Photo)