A Tribute to Michael Rider
KYBA Registrar
October 7, 1948 – July 6, 2013
 
 Mike Rider wasn’t just a volunteer for KYBA. He was the heart and soul for over 20 years. His contribution to its early growth and establishment seamlessly transformed it to KYBA’s current status as one of the most successful and respected youth sports organizations in Ontario.
 
In his capacity as Registrar, Mike met and dealt with just about every parent that has come through the KYBA. He served on the Executive for every year of his tenure, seeing many Presidents and other volunteers come and go. Along the way he probably ruffled a few feathers but that was because Mike cared about only one thing; making youth basketball available to EVERY girl and boy who wanted to participate. He wore his heart on his sleeve, had no personal agenda and didn’t want any headlines. He was opinionated certainly, but he respected your opinion too. Not everyone liked Mike Rider but everyone respected him.
 
Mike’s list of accomplishments in the KYBA is endless. He was instrumental in starting up the Chris Paulin Tournament back in 1994 with only Bantam Boys and watched it grow to a 66 team event for girls and boys of all ages, assisted in forming the first 9-10 year old boy’s Competitive team and worked tirelessly on KYBA’s application for a Trillium Grant that was the springboard for KYBA’s strong financial position today.  
 
But Mike’s biggest and most ground breaking contribution was single handedly writing and organizing the KYBA Constitution that lays the foundation and operating rules for the organization. This document gives guidance and framework for volunteer positions, rules of order and every minute detail in how to run an organization the size of KYBA. Whenever there was a question about how to do something, everyone asked Mike, because there wasn’t anything about KYBA he didn’t know.
 
Mike was one of those rare volunteers that stayed with an organization long after his own children graduated from the program. Tragically in 1999, Mike lost his son David at age 16 as a result of an automobile accident. While some would have quit and moved on after such a personal loss, Mike stayed with the KYBA determined to keep it a strong and thriving club so that other girls and boys could benefit from what KYBA had to offer.
 
When you work with someone for as long as I did, you expect them to be there forever. Unfortunately, 5 years ago Mike announced he was fighting cancer. But not even that could keep Mike down. He fought it with every ounce of his strength, and battled it into remission the same way he lived his life; with quiet dignity, fierce determination and unwavering resolve. When the cancer returned a short while later Mike began to scale down his volunteer duties and plan for his “retirement” from the KYBA. He acted as a mentor to the current Executive and stayed as busy as the cancer would let him. Just to show the love and devotion that Mike had for KYBA, he was compiling the Powerpoint presentation for the Annual General Meeting that was recently held just a couple of weeks prior to his passing!
 
Mike left a legacy that will endure forever. Two years ago the KYBA established a volunteer award in Mike’s name that goes annually to a past or present volunteer that exemplifies the character and devotion that Mike embodied. If you ever are fortunate enough to receive this honour – cherish it dearly. And if you were fortunate to know Mike, consider yourself blessed.
 
If I have one personal regret though, it was that I never got a chance to thank Mike for being my friend and co-volunteer these past 20 years. So Mike if you are reading this (and probably grumbling because you are getting this spotlight), thanks from me, and everyone you touched in Kanata. There will never be another like you.
 
Ian Garonce
Past President
Kanata Youth Basketball Association.