Bill Mojelski

Six Decades of Contribution and Still Counting

Bill Mojelski has been involved in Wetaskiwin sports and recreation as a coach, referee, volunteer and historian since he moved to Wetaskiwin in 1963 and began teaching at Wetaskiwin High School. For fifty-six years he has spent hours volunteering his time and effort in our community. Bill operates on the premise “if it isn’t recorded it didn’t happen” and to this end he has worked tirelessly documenting Wetaskiwin and Wetaskiwin County’s sporting history. Bill has produced two research documents, written the nomination materials and anecdotal notes for numerous teams and individuals and helped the board of the WCSHF in developing its goals and directions. Bill’s contributions to our community make him more than worthy of induction into the Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall of Fame.

Arriving Teacher Begins Volunteering

In 1963 Bill moved to Wetaskiwin and taught at Wetaskiwin Composite High School for thirty-three years until he retired in 1996. At WCHS Bill coached volleyball in 1964-65, both boys and girls curling teams from 1966 to 1970 and was the assistant coach of the Sabres Football Team from 1972 to 1974. Bill started refereeing in the Central Alberta High School Football League in 1975 and later became head referee and schedule planner until 1993. Additionally, Bill refereed in a few Western Canada Junior Football games. Bill also contributed to community sports. He volunteered with the Wetaskiwin Colonels Hockey Team and was their League Representative to the North Central Alberta Intermediate Hockey League starting in 1971. From 1973 to 1977 as the Colonels Rep, he was responsible for composing and formatting team schedules for the league. In 1976-77 Bill was elected President of the Alberta Major Intermediate Hockey League. The next year he served as Commissioner of the league. Bill started T-ball teams for girls 12 to 14 years old and coached for one season. He also refereed fastball and professional fastball from 1975 and extending over his career.

Preserving Wetaskiwin's Sporting History
“If it isn’t recorded it didn’t happen.”

Bill has been an invaluable resource person for the Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall of Fame. In 2005-2006, the initial year of the Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall of Fame, he was asked to be the consultant because board members knew of his research ability and knowledge of sports and sporting heroes of Wetaskiwin. He and three other members did most of the research and writing for the initial twelve inductees. Over the fourteen years the Wetaskiwin County Sports Hall of Fame has been in existence, Bill has nominated numerous individuals and teams for induction into the WCSHF and done the research necessary to write the biographies for our banquet program and our online web site. He has often discovered things about the achievement of athletes that even family members did not know. Bill has also made many suggestions for possible future nominees and many ideas to the Board for possible projects. Some Wetaskiwin athletes who are now members of the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in Red Deer were nominated for that honour by Bill. The Board of the WCSHF is most indebted to Bill for his efforts and his dedication to explore all avenues of honour for the names of individuals or teams that he puts forward.

Aside from Sports Bill's Been Busy

Besides his commitments to sports, Bill has somehow found the time to contribute to other areas and organizations in our community. In 1984 he was the Leader of a Student Study Tour to Europe and conducted three months of night classes for the students to gain credits for their experience. Bill was a Director with Wetaskiwin Credit Union from 1971 to 2015 and not surprisingly has researched and written the history of the Wetaskiwin Credit Union for its first sixty years (1939 to 1999). Bill has been involved with the Wetaskiwin Ashoro Friendship Society and again, not surprisingly, has researched and authored the 1990 to 2015 history of this society. Additionally, Bill served on the County of Wetaskiwin Appeal Advisory Board from 2011 to 2013 and from 2014 to 2016.

Achievements of an Inquisitive Mind

Because of his involvement with the Colonels Hockey Team and WCHS football, Bill’s inquisitive mind and interest in the development of these two sports in Wetaskiwin led him to research and write two “Sports History” documents: “Intermediate Men’s Hockey in Wetaskiwin 1896-1978“ and “Football: Wetaskiwin High School 1929 to 2006”.

Without Bill’s diligence, persistence and commitment much of our community’s sporting history might be lost. By proudly inducting Bill into the Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall of Fame we are thanking him for his many and varied contributions and for his countless hours of volunteer effort in the many organizations and teams with which he was involved. Well done Bill!