Tim Murdy

Tim Murdy grew up in North Vancouver. He attended Carson Graham Secondary School and it was there that his passion for the game of rugby was born. After high school, Tim travelled and played rugby in Australia and New Zealand. “A varsity rugby coach at UBC, Barry Legh, talked me into coming back to Canada and playing for the university. While there, I also did volunteer coaching at Carson Graham and at Capilano Rugby Club. I finished both my Physical Education degree and Education degree at UBC.”

Since then, Tim has taught P.E. and coached Rugby at West Vancouver Secondary School and, most recently, at Rockridge Secondary, also in West Vancouver. When asked what brought him to Shawnigan, Tim replied, “Mr. Robertson is what! I knew both he and Gary Dukelow quite well through Rugby Canada. This seemed a good change for me professionally and for my family.”

Tim’s wife, Teisha, and their children, Kyle and Paige love living in Shawnigan and especially enjoy the rural atmosphere and the idyllic, natural setting of their home on campus. Tim enjoys the smaller school and says, “I get to know more kids on a personal level. It is inspiring to see the students here with so many opportunities and that they take advantage of them is great. The students are so involved in the School and are so well supported by staff. I do House duty in Lake’s—Vito Pasquale and Jason Lam are great role models for new staff in the House. They are very organised and committed to their roles in the House.”

Tim is Head of P.E. and Head of Rugby at Shawnigan. He spends a great deal of time organizing the eight rugby teams and is working at creating more continuity in the rugby programme both in the usage of technical resources and in the direction and philosophy of coaches. Tim reports that the senior boys’ rugby, which he coaches with Jeff Williams and Andrew Doyle, is off to a great start. He is looking forward to seeing how the boys develop. “They have great attitudes and we are optimistic about the season. Jeff and Andrew are very knowledgeable and are also committed to seeing the boys achieve their goals.”

The Headmaster delights in the job Tim is doing at the School and adds that, “Right from my first encounters with Tim Murdy, when he was coaching the Canada under-17’s, I saw an ability to communicate a passion to his young charges and a rapport with them that was admirable. Their responses to him in turn said it all.”