Billy Markward was a pioneer in the game of basketball.  He started working as a day laborer and roofer to put food on the table but found his true passion in the game of basketball.  He played professionally for twelve years with the Philadelphia, Chester, and Wilmington basketball clubs. His biggest contribution to the game of basketball came in the form of coaching basketball.

   Roman Catholic opened in 1890, a full year before the invention of the game of basketball.  Billy Markward became the schools  basketball coach in 1901. He coached for forty-one years, winning twenty championships, developing 24 college basketball captains and over 250 college basketball letterman! Billy Markward became nationally known as the dean of high school basketball coaches. His program was copied by coaches everywhere. He was offered numerous head college coaching jobs, but chose to stay at Roman Catholic because of his love of helping young people achieve more than they ever thought they could achieve.    

In 1925, Billy was invited to coach the new women's pro basketball team and he went on to win 71 straight games over a three year period. He also took a strong stance to racial issues and would not play teams who discriminated against people of color. His contributions to the sport were so varied that the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame nomination committee has him in the category of a "contributor" as well as "coach."

   When Billy Markward died, the Markward Basketball Club was created to honor his special nature and the tremendous impact he had on so many people. Each year the club honors hundreds of scholastic and college players. The Markward Club has been honoring basketball players, coaches, and people in need, for seventy-nine years. The club respects winning players, teams, and coaches, but exists to honor the spirit and character of players who gave more than they ever thought they could give.  It is what Billy Markward taught then, and continues to touch the lives of everyone connected with basketball today.