(NOTE: Dennis Crooks is an Anglo-Indian, born and educated in Bombay, India)
On Thursday June 4th, 2009, The City Of Mississauga, at its 35th Annual Sports Dinner Banquet awarded Dennis Crooks with the Mississauga Sports Council Award for his outstanding contribution to Community Sport. This Award recognizes the Leadership provided by amateur sport volunteers in Mississauga through many years of dedicated service as coaches, managers, executives, founders and other related support. Dennis was one of Five recipients of various sports to receive this Award
Dennis Crooks retired from international competition after reaching the ultimate achievement in his career of field hockey when he walked into the Olympic Stadium, Seoul, Korea in 1988, as Canadian National Team Manager, representing Mississauga and Canada. In 1987, Dennis was manager of the Canadian Team that won the Gold Medal in the 10th Pan American Game in Indianapolis, USA. He also managed the Canadian Junior and Senior teams from 1981-88 that competed in various competitions all over the world. He was very fortunate that this sport gave him the opportunity to visit all Five continents that God created.
Dennis also coached Ontario’s men’s junior and senior squads in Provincial Championship’s from 1979 through 1985. In addition to holding the Level 2 National Coaching Certificate and the Level 1 Indoor/Outdoor Umpire Certificate, he also served as President of Ontario Field Hockey Association 1981-82.
Dennis was Chairman of Organizing Committees for various indoor and outdoor tournaments. These included the Provincial Championships, Maple Leaf Tournament and Crosstyx Indoor. He was also the Technical Delegate for the Montreal Cup. He is the recipient of International Achievement Awards from the Province of Ontario in 1979, 1985 and 1987. Bell Canada awarded Dennis the 1981 Bell Canada Community Service Award. In 1988 he was presented with a certificate of recognition by Her Worship Hazel McCallion for his outstanding contribution to Amateur Sports in Mississauga.