Sam White of the University of King’s College (UKC) Blue Devils has been named the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Badminton Coach of the Year.
White was honoured during the 2023 CCAA Badminton National Championships, hosted by Dalhousie University Agricultural Campus (DAL AC) in Truro, NS.
“Sam has created a buzz within the CCAA by recruiting and retaining some of the best badminton athletes in the country,” said Michael Kopinak, CCAA Badminton Convenor. “The Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) is a contender for the 2023 team supremacy, and I would argue that is due to the outstanding coaching provided by Sam.”
With this being the strongest team UKC has ever produced, White’s goal this season is to win multiple CCAA Championships. This week in Truro, he will be coaching ACAA-1, a team comprising of only Blue Devils.
That roster includes three athletes who are ranked Top 10 in Canada as well as five players that are currently representing their respective provinces at the Canada Games. In addition, two other student-athletes – Bryce Mason and Jack Ronahan – returned to UKC after earning a silver medal in Men’s Doubles at last year’s CCAA Championships in Edmonton, AB.
This is White’s second season as Head Coach at UKC; he also led the Blue Devils during the 2020-21 season.
Last year, White returned to use his final year of eligibility as a student-athlete. He earned a silver medal, along with partner Mason, in Men’s Doubles at the CCAA Championships.
With that recent playing experience as a student-athlete himself, White has the ability to push the Blue Devils on the court like few others could.
As a Head Coach, White is always promoting the sport and encouraging athletes to register for tournaments. He is always one of the first to volunteer his time at tournaments for setup and tear down.
Young student-athletes throughout Nova Scotia look up to him, and White can often be seen providing coaching advice and tips to young players at tournaments that he is also competing at.
“Sam has been a dedicated member of the Nova Scotia and ACAA Badminton Community for the last decade and has enjoyed success on the national stage as both an athlete and coach, always giving 100%,” said Andrew Harding, ACAA Badminton Convenor. “Every successful team or organization has that one person willing to go above and beyond to make everyone around them better; for UKC and ACAA Badminton, that person is Sam.”
Other nominees for the CCAA Men’s Volleyball Coach of the Year award were Alan Chow of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Ooks (Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference) and Steve Ruddach of the Fanshawe Falcons (Ontario Colleges Athletic Association).
The CCAA Badminton Coach of the Year recipient receive a customized ring provided by Jostens Canada, the Official Ring Supplier of the CCAA.
Media Contact:
Rodney Wilson / rodney@ccaa.ca
Manager, Communications & Events
