The Rocky Mountain Basketball Camp originated with Don Horwood who was born in Carbonear, Newfoundland.

After 26 years of guiding the University of Alberta Golden Bears Men’s Basketball team and 41 years of coaching basketball, Don retired at the completion of the 2008-09 season.

Horwood has been named CIS Coach of The Year three times (1986-87, 1993-94 and 2001-02) and has coached The University of Alberta to 11 appearances at the CIS Final Eight Championship in Halifax and Ottawa.

The University of Alberta has been one of the most successful University Men’s Basketball Program’s in the country, with three National Championships (1993-94, 1994-95 and 2001-02), two silver medals (1995-96 and 1998-99), one third place finish (2002-03), one 5th place finish (1999-00) and three 7th place finish (1997-98,
2004-05, 2007-08).


Don joined Alberta as its full-time Men’s basketball coach in the 1983-1984 season. Prior to that he coached at Oak Bay High School in Victoria, BC.

Horwood coached the Bays from September 1969, to June 1978, winning the British Columbia Provincial Championship in 1973, 1974 and 1977. The Bays appeared in the provincial final five of six seasons between 1973-1978.

After leaving Oak Bay and entering Graduate School at the University of Alberta (MA Physical Education ) Horwood served as assistant coach of the Golden Bears for one season under former head coach Garry Smith (1978-1979).

From 1979-1983 Horwood coached at Spectrum High School in Victoria.

Horwood attended Memorial University from 1963-1968. He was, in his words, a small forward on the University Basketball Team, and team captain in his senior year.

During the summer Olympics in Atlanta, Horwood was the basketball color commentator for CBC Television. He also coached the National Junior team at the world qualifying tournament in the Dominican Republic, summer of 1998.