Jay Collins

Tragedy struck the Northwest College men’s basketball program last season just before the beginning of the school year after the sudden death of coach Jay Collins in July.

The Trappers rallied around the team and put together the Coach Collins Heart of a Champion Memorial Classic in just over two months’ time, starting a new tradition which will enter into its second year this season.

“Jay loved basketball and he really enjoyed his time here at Northwest,” coach Andy Ward said. “I had a number of conversations with him about his time here and about the game of basketball. He would be thrilled that this is happening in his honor.”

After the initial events of last year, the Jay Collins Memorial Basketball Scholarship was established by his wife Sheila Collins.

According to the Northwest College website, the scholarship will be awarded to a full-time student participating in men’s basketball at Northwest with the recipient being determined by the NWC athletic director and men’s basketball coach.

Both the men’s and women’s teams will present the Heart of a Champion to one member of their respective teams, with the men’s Heart of a Champion recipient also receiving the scholarship dedicated in Collins’ honor.

Those awards will be presented as part of the festivities this weekend, alongside a dedication to Collins occurring between the Northwest men’s and women’s games on Friday evening.

The festivities will kick off with the women’s basketball game at 5:30 p.m. on Friday in Cabre Gym against Western Nebraska, followed by the presentation in between games capped off by the men’s game at 7:30 p.m. against Western Nebraska.

Ward said there will also be T-shirts sold at the event, with all of the proceeds from the weekend going towards the memorial scholarship.

“It should be a really good weekend remembering Jay,” Ward said.

Northwest will also play games on Saturday afternoon, with the women tipping off at 2 p.m. and the men to follow at 4 p.m., both against Bismarck State College.

Ward said that there is also an anonymous donor who will be matching up to $1,000 donated to the memorial scholarship.

Those wishing to donate may attend the games and are encouraged to come out and honor the life of Collins on Friday and Saturday.

“He (would be thrilled) that his scholarship can help someone get their higher education degree and play basketball,” Ward said.

Those unable to attend can still make an impact and donate any time to the scholarship by going to nwcollegefoundation.org/jay-collins.