It is with great sadness that Basketball Manitoba and the Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame announce the passing of Hank Tatarchuk in Edmonton. He was best known locally as an assistant coach with the late Jack Lewis and the University of Manitoba Bisons in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
His down-to-earth, common-sense approach was instrumental in developing the Bison Men’s program, which led them to the CIAU National Championship game in 1971. In addition to his time in Manitoba, he spent over 50 years in Canada as a player, coach, official and administrator. He had a long career with the Royal Canadian Armed Forces, where he coached both men’s and women’s teams.
He was inducted into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame as a Builder in 2003. He was very well known and respected globally, having worked at many international competitions. It seemed that no matter where you went, the Olympics, Pan-Am Games, World Championships, or an NCAA Tournament if you mentioned Hank Tatarchuk, somebody knew him and smiled.
Coach was the original nice guy who was loved by all, and he will be missed.
Source: https://www.mbhof.com/2022/10/in-memory-of-hank-tatarchuk.html