2017 Gerald McGavin Coaching Award

Following any and all sports is essential to the growth for the betterment of society and not just for this generation, but others as well.

I have recently been passed on the following information from BC Rugby regarding a couple of awards and wanted to share sooner, rather than later.

Thanks to BC Rugby for the info and please contact them for more information on the sport.

BC Rugby is honored to announce the two winners of the 2017 Gerald McGavin Coaching Award.

Pamela Hadikin of Qualicum Beach and Mike Jamieson of Surrey have been selected from many strong applicants and will now join the U18 Girls’ and Boys’ XV Teams respectively, as Assistant Coaches.

In addition to supporting the Team’s’ Tour to Ireland, Ms Hadikin and Mr Jamieson will attend a four-day mentor-ship at an international high-performance rugby environment.  

The Gerald McGavin Coaching Award, administered in partnership with BC Rugby and the Canadian Rugby Foundation, will cover all the travel and accommodation costs of the Assistant Coaches making the U18 Teams’ Tour this August and attending the mentor-ship.

“On behalf of all the applicants and the U18 Teams, I would like to thank Gerald and the Canadian Rugby Foundation for making this Award possible,” said Annabel Kehoe, CEO of BC Rugby. “We received so many applications from passionate and dedicated coaches that we were faced with a tough choice though it’s encouraging to see so many coaches wanting to invest time in their development to better serve players throughout BC.”

Ms Hadikin is currently Head Coach at Dover Bay Secondary School as well as Head Coach of Nanaimo Hornets RFC Women’s Team.

Ms Hadikin said: “Like Gerald, who attributes his success on and off the field to the wonderful rugby coaches he had, I knew after my first two years of playing that I would love to coach and help others find their true greatness at whatever level that might be. I’m excited to work with such talented young people since sport has given me so much because of the great coaches in my life. This is my opportunity to pay it forward.”

Mr Jamieson is currently the Head Coach of Elgin Park Secondary School where he oversees the Senior and Junior Boys Rugby program, and has also coached teams at BC Rugby’s Provincial Regional Championships (PRCs) which act as a critical selection tool for all BC Rugby age-grade representative teams.

Mr Jamieson said: “It’s a tremendous honor to receive this award. I have the utmost respect for the past recipients, so many of them have played a key role in my growth and development as a coach.

So much credit goes to my beautiful wife Leanne who supports my coaching and therefore spending endless hours away from our family, and my mom and grandpa for instilling in me a love for the power of sport and its ability to bring people together.

And lastly, I feel this award is a recognition of all the rugby coaches at Elgin and the hard work they put in to make our program successful, I would be lost without their support.”

Details of the U18 Boys’ and Girls’ XV’s Tour are to be finalized and publicized shortly, along with the 2017 Age-Grade Representative Teams Selection Policy.

For any enquires about your coaching development, please contact Dean Murten via dmurten@bcrugby.com.