CALGARY – Simon Chi will be the second head coach of the University of Calgary Dinos women's rugby team, the Athletics Department announced Monday.
He replaces Jenny Vincent, who passed away suddenly in January after a brief battle with aggressive cancer. He will take the Dinos program into its second season of Canada West competition after Vincent fulfilled her dream of a varsity program in Calgary when the team joined CIS in fall 2009.
Chi's rugby resume is extensive, replete with national and international experience as a player, coach, and administrator. He has been head coach of the Dinos men's rugby club since 2006, winning four straight provincial university championships, after spending two seasons as an assistant. He played for the Dinos from 2001 to 2003 under the guidance of Canadian rugby great Dave Lougheed and has been a member of the executive board since 2001.
"I am honoured and excited for this opportunity to take over the Dinos women's rugby program," said Chi. "Jenny worked hard to lay the foundation for this team and I will endeavour to maintain her efforts. I am fortunate to be working alongside a coaching staff with a proven track record of excellence, and together with the existing core of student-athletes we will aspire to build a program in the rich tradition of Dinos Athletics."
Internationally, Chi was the head coach of Canada's entry into the men's FISU World University Rugby 7s Championships in both 2006 and 2008, adding the role of Team Administrator in 2006. He is a Regional Director for Rugby Canada's U20 National Championship Committee and Vice President, Competitions and Senior Representative Programs for Rugby Alberta.
Chi has an MBA, MSc, and BSc from the University of Calgary in addition to a BSc from McGill University. He is a certified NCCP Level III rugby coach and a Level I referee in Alberta.
"With one season of CIS competition under our belts, we're certain that Dinos women's rugby is in good hands with Simon," said Kevin Boyles, director of athletics. "Coach Vincent did an outstanding job getting varsity status for the program, and I'm confident that Simon will continue to building a tradition of success with our rugby program."
Chi will be joined on the sidelines by assistants John Long and Dave Lee.
Long is the head coach of the Canadian senior women's national team and brings a wealth of rugby knowledge and experience to the program. He has also been heavily involved with the Dinos men's program since 2005.
As a player, Long was a member of numerous representative teams throughout the United Kingdom, South Africa, and more recently Canada with the Calgary Mavericks. In addition to his national team duties, John works as the Youth Development Officer for Rugby Alberta as well as a Master Coaching Facilitator for Rugby Canada.
Dave Lee will focus on restarts, breakdown, and continuity in his assistant coach role. A 2001 graduate of the University of Victoria, Dave began coaching with the Dinos men's club program in 2008 where he played a large part in the team's Alberta University Rugby Championship victories in 2008 and 2009.
Prior to working with the Dinos men, Dave was a foundation coach along with Chi with the Calgary Mavericks U20 Program, competing in the Rugby Canada National Junior Championship where they were winners of the Prairie Division in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
After retiring from rugby due to injury after a successful playing career, Dave has had several successful coaching appointments with various high schools and men's and women's club teams in Calgary, acted as a selector for the provincial age-grade programs, coached women's university rugby in the United States, and preformed Rugby Youth Development work in Calgary and the United Kingdom.
The Dinos' sophomore CIS season kicks off Sept. 24 when Calgary pays a visit to the Alberta Pandas.
Source:
Calgary Sports Info