Clarke named CCAA Coach of the Year
Tony Clarke of the Durham Lords has been named the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Volleyball Coach of the Year.
He received the award this evening at the 2017 CCAA Women’s Volleyball National Championship banquet, hosted by Camosun College in Victoria, BC.
Clarke guided the Lords to a perfect 18-0 season and first-place finish in the OCAA East Division. This season, Durham was victorious at the 2016 Sheridan Invitational and 2017 Adidas Cup.
“Tony is a very successful coach who has led the Lords to be a top team in the OCAA,” said Fred Batley,” CCAA Women’s Volleyball Convenor. “He would be the first to say that it all starts with the athletes.”
Durham’s success this season can certainly be attributed to the team’s dedication to getting better each time they’re on the court. Clarke has put an emphasis on off-court training through weekly sessions at Elite Training Systems and encouraging his student-athletes to make nutrition a priority.
Clarke focuses on building well-rounded athletes during their time at Durham, by concentrating on academics as well as their development off the court. He spends a great deal of time mentoring his athletes academically and more than half of this year’s team will receive OCAA Academic Honours and CCAA Academic Honours.
“He believes in building strong student-athletes who focus on academics, team work and dedication,” said Batley.
Community involvement has also been a priority for Clarke at Durham. The team has taken part in several community/charity initiatives, including the CCAA’s Make Some Noise for Mental Health campaign.
Clarke also runs and coordinates a major high school tournament in Southern Ontario.
CCAA Coach of the Year winners receive a customized ring provided by Jostens Canada, the Official Ring Supplier of the CCAA Championship Awards Banquet.
For a full list of this year’s award recipients, visit the official site of the 2017 CCAA Women’s Volleyball National Championship.
OTHER NOMINEES
Jeff Ross |
N. Weinmaster |
André Gendron |
Derrick Brooks |
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Douglas Royals |
Briercrest Clippers |
Boomerang d’AL |
MSVU Mystics |
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In his first season with Douglas, Ross guided the Royals to a 17-7 record and tie for second place in the PACWEST. Ross enjoys giving back to the volleyball community while continuing with his professional development. He is also the head coach for Team BC Women’s U19 North American Indigenous team as well as the program lead for Team BC Women’s U16 and Thunder Club. Ross’ goal is to become the head coach of the Women’s National team. |
For the fourth straight season, Weinmaster’s Clippers set a program record for wins as Briercrest went 20-4 to finish second in the ACAC South Division. The Clippers led the conference with 11.21 kills per set, 10.8 assists per set and they set a new ACAC record with 349 service aces. Weinmaster has developed a close-knit culture with his team and mentors his student-athletes, focusing quite purposely on helping them develop integrity. |
Gendron led the Boomerang to an 11-7 record in his first season at the helm as André-Laurendeau earned more RSEQ victories than the last two seasons combined. For the first time in the program’s history, the Boomerang were Nationally ranked. Gendron works to empower his student-athletes to make their own decisions on the court and enjoys working on small details to make his player’s better. He is also an assistant coach at McGill (U SPORTS). |
Brooks guided the Mystics to a 20-1 record and first-place finish in the ACAA. He is committed to building a strong program at The Mount, where his goal is to improve his player’s understanding of the game and capture a CCAA medal. Brooks is the founding member and president of the Sackville Sonics, one of the largest clubs in Nova Scotia, where he continues to develop skilled athletes and knowledgeable coaches. He is also a National official. |
