Employee volunteer spotlight: Leading the way in Nova Scotia youth sport development

For more than 75 years, Highland Park Minor Softball has supported thousands of young athletes in Halifax’s North End. John-Wayne Matheson, a fleet manager at Sunbury has been involved as a player and volunteer through many of these decades.

“This association has always been a cornerstone of the community,” John-Wayne said. “It gives young people a place to learn teamwork, sportsmanship and confidence, and that is what keeps me committed to it year after year.”

Throughout its history, the youth teams within the organization have earned provincial, Eastern Canadian and national titles. Many of its players have gone on to represent Nova Scotia at the Canada Games level.

John-Wayne, who works out of Sunbury’s Dartmouth, N.S. location, joined Highland Park asa player in the late 1970s and continued through the 1980s and 1990s. When theassociation faced a difficult period and required new leadership in 2009, he steppedforward. His daughter had just started with the program, and he felt a responsibility to give back to the place that had given so much to him.

In the last 16 years under John-Wayne's leadership, Highland Park has continued to bring the game to life to youth in their earliest years of talent development thanks to the
dedication of its volunteers. Last year, Highland Park was recognized as one of Nova Scotia’s Provincial Community Sport Organization of the Year for its role in inspiring,empowering and supporting the next generation of athletes.

“We see more than 200 children in the program each year,” said John-Wayne. “The success of our program for these children wouldn’t be possible without my amazing leadership team and volunteers."