Burlington has a long and notable sports history that includes many outstanding athletes, coaches, officials, media, and volunteers. The Burlington Sports Hall of Fame (BSHOF) is dedicated to identifying and honouring these individuals who have created this rich tradition. This year the BSHOF is celebrating its 16th year and is proud to be inducting six new honorees at their 2024 induction ceremony on Tuesday, May 28 at the Burlington Golf and Country Club.
Our first inductee is Mark Jooris.
If one looks at the history of high-level hockey in Burlington, the name Jooris is in a short list of all-time greats.
And it’s not just Mark.
A local product of the Burlington Eagles rep program, Mark Jooris was one of those kids who idolized the players on what was then called the Junior B Burlington Cougars, and then joined the team in 1981. In his one season with the local team, he set a club scoring record of 127 points, including 86 assists, in the 1981–82 season. That record would last until 2010 when it was broken — by his son Josh.
After just one year with the Cougars, Mark attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York from 1982 to 1986 on a four-year scholarship. At RPI, he was a linemate of future NHLer Adam Oates and he continued his scoring prowess, amassing a total of 183 points in 117 games. The highlight of his time at RPI was in the 1984–85 season, where the Engineers ran off a 32–2 record . The season was capped off by winning the NCAA Championship in a 2–1 championship game win over Princeton, after a triple-overtime semi-final win over Minnesota-Duluth. His career scoring totals are good for 10th all-time at RPI.
Upon graduation, Mark embarked on a professional career that would last 13 seasons and would take him around the world. He played in the American Hockey League, and then at the highest leagues in Finland, Germany, and Switzerland. He also played for his country, representing Canada on the national team for a total of 56 games in 1986–89, notching up 41 points.
After his professional career, Mark turned to coaching. He acted as player/coach with the Senior Men’s Dundas Real McCoys from 2001–2007. His love of the game continued as he would play occasionally with the Real McCoys until 2013, actually playing a game in his 50s.
Mark’s passion for coaching hockey took him to the Sierre Hockey Club in the Swiss League in 2007–08, and becoming an amateur scout for the Vancouver Canucks before returning to his roots to coach the Cougars in 2009–10. He was head coach of the Markham Waxers and the Oakville Blades before taking over the Cougars as head coach and general manager in the 2015–16 season. In that first season back with his hometown team, Jooris was named the Ontario Hockey Association coach of the year.
This athlete, who wanted to be a Cougar as a young player, remembers going to watch Cougar games for several years before making the team. He then became a builder who knows that the Cougars have been a big part of the Burlington community and is working as the general manager and coach to continue to grow the game. He comes to coaching with the perspective of a player. He’s proud that when his playing career ended, he got the opportunity to be a Cougar coach and hopes to remain so for many years to come.
For his success on the ice and his passion to bring the Cougars continued accomplishments, the Burlington Sports Hall of Fame is thrilled to induct him as an athlete and a builder.
The May 28 induction ceremony at the Burlington Golf and Country Club is a SOLD OUT event and plans are in the works to livestream the event. Details will be forthcoming.
