Paul Connelly named Rugby Ontario High Performance Manager
It is with great excitement that Rugby Ontario welcomes Paul Connelly to a managerial role at Rugby Ontario. Paul has been named the High Performance Manager of Rugby Ontario and will oversee the high performance portfolio including the Ontario Blues program.
A graduate of McMaster University (Physical and Health Education), Paul has recently retired after a 30-year teaching career. In high school rugby, Paul’s name is synonymous with the Durham region. As Head of Physical Education and Director of Rugby at Uxbridge Secondary School, the “Tigers” became one of the top High School rugby programs in Ontario. Over the last 14 years the Tigers made it to the Provincial “Final Four” 11 times, coming home with OFSAA silver medals in 2004, 2007 and 2010 and OFSAA Gold in 2011 and 2016. Paul is also a two- time recipient of the OFSAA Leadership in Sport Award.
On the representative side, Paul is an NCCP Level 3 and IRB Level 2 Certified Coach who has been coaching elite Ontario rugby players since 1997. Hi-lights include 3 National U-18 Championships and a 2009 Canada Games Gold Medal, as well as 4 MacTiier National Senior Men’s Championships with the Senior “BLUES” (2011-2015).
At the national level, Connelly worked with former Canada Senior Men’s Coach Gary Johnson (2004-2007), participating in the IRB Junior World Cup in Dubai (2006), as well as leading Canada U-19 on tour of England In 2012.
Most recently, Connelly was named Head Coach and Development Director for the new Academy for Student Athlete Development (A.S.A.D.) Elite Rugby Program.A.S.A.D. is an academy supported by the Durham District School Board based out of the Abilities Centre in Whitby. It provides targeted athletic and academic support to elite student athletes in grades 9 – 12 as they strive for successat provincial, national & international levels of competition.
“We are excited to have Con join our team,” said Rugby Ontario’s Chief Executive Officer Mike Brown. “His passion for rugby and his long list of experience make him a strong fit for this organization and the culture we are looking to foster in our community.”
Paul will be joining the Rugby Ontario office immediately, as he has already begun planning for the 2018 high performance season with the High Performance team of staff and coaches.
ABOUT THE ONTARIO BLUES
The Ontario Blues program is the High Performance representative program for male and female rugby players in Ontario. Rugby Ontario is represented at the provincial level by the Ontario Blues High Performance program. The program includes representative teams fromUnder-15 to Senior in both Women’s and Men’s Fifteens. Specifically, the program is designed to develop and showcase rugby players for Canadian representative national teams.
ABOUT RUGBY ONTARIO
Rugby Ontario is the provincial sports governing body responsible for the organization of rugby in Ontario. Our mission is to establish a stronger identity for rugby in Ontario by promoting the sport’s core values and by fostering a culture of inclusiveness and excellence on and off the field of play.
To learn more, visit https://www.rugbyontario.com/
WANT MORE INFORMATION?
Dylan Meredith
High Performance & Communications Intern - Rugby Ontario
647-560-4790 x 1012
dmeredith@rugbyontario.com
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