Camosun coach and captain receive top BCCAA honors
February 24, 2009
The British Columbia Colleges’ Athletic Association announced today that Camosun College Chargers head coach, Charles Parkinson, has been named the men’s volleyball Coach of the Year. Fifth year student-athlete and team captain Dan Goodburn also received top honors, earning a first team all-star award, his third career all-star.
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Charles Parkinson: men’s volleyball Coach of the Year |
On hearing the news about his coach, Goodburn commented, “Unlike most coaches, Charles doesn't dictate exactly what we should be doing. He guides us in the right direction and makes us think for ourselves. I think this helps our team understand the game better, and consequently we are more successful.”
Coach Parkinson took over the Chargers program mid-season last year, when long-time coach Linda Henderson left her 15-year post to become the Director of Athletics and Recreation at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton.
Since that time, Coach Parkinson has put his own brand of coaching on the program and his strategy is paying off. In the face of missing the playoffs last year and starting the season with a team comprised mostly of rookies, the Chargers are back on track and entering their 13th provincial championship.
“We started this season with 14 athletes, many of whom didn’t know me or each other,” said Parkinson. “Taking this group and knitting them into a single cohesive unit has been an immensely rewarding journey. I don’t think anyone expected anything from Camosun this season and through dedication, an immense work ethic and heart, this team has learned to believe in themselves and they have challenged and beaten the best in the league.”
While instilling virtues like collaboration, dedication and hard work are paramount to developing the whole athlete, it is Parkinson’s wealth of experience and sheer love of the sport that sets him in a class apart from most others.
“I’ve been around volleyball for a long time,” he commented. “I started as a club player and actually played for Langara College back in the day when there was no National Championship, just a 4-West event. I was fortunate enough to go on to play at the highest international level which allowed me to travel the world. When I was done playing, I turned to coaching and have worked with athletes of both genders and many ages for years. Over the last 16 years I have been a broadcaster of beach and indoor volleyball and have had a chance to go to four summer Olympics and speak to the best players and coaches in the world. I think all these experiences have allowed me to stay current with the sport and understand what players go through when they are trying to push through skill or psychological thresholds.”
Despite the various roles he has undertaken this year (including executive director of the BC 150 anniversary celebrations, commentator for CBC at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and heading the provincial government’s community engagement department in preparation for the 2010 Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics) Parkinson holds a special place in his heart for the sport of volleyball and the athletes he mentors.
“One of my greatest rewards has been the athletes,” remarked Parkinson. “I’ve always been busy with family, sport, volunteering and coaching but this year really has been quite extraordinary. I must admit that there were times when I felt a bit crushed by deadlines or the sheer volume of work, but every time I stepped into the gym those feeling simply fell away. With a sense of renewal after every practice and match I felt motivated to tackle the projects and events outside my sport life and deliver them as effectively as I could. I thank the athletes for their unwavering quest to be better and for allowing me to absorb some of that energy every day.”
The Chargers travel to Abbotsford this week to compete in the 2008-09 BCCAA Provincial Volleyball Championships February 26-28, 2009 hosted by Columbia Bible College. In fourth place, the Chargers face off against fifth seeds, the Douglas College Royals in the quarter-finals on Thursday, February 26 at 8:00pm.
In their previous league matches, the two teams split their games with Douglas beating Camosun 3-2 last October and Camosun coming back with a 3-1 win in January.
Follow each game live via webcast and check out the schedule, teams, results and game previews on the championship website
Contact
Graham Matthews, Coordinator
Camosun College Recreation and Athletics
250–220–2505
matthews@camosun.bc.ca
Last updated: September 23, 2015 5:17 pm
