Bill Corcoran of the Medicine Hat Rattlers is the 2022 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Cross-Country Running Coach of the Year.
Corcoran was honoured at the 2022 CCAA Cross-Country Running National Championships, hosted by Medicine Hat College.
“Bill is a Cross-Country Running legend in in this country,” said Darcy Brioux, CCAA Cross-Country Running Convenor. “He has contributed so much to the CCAA including assisting in hosting numerous Cross-Country Running Championships and coaching teams to the highest level at several schools.”
The Rattlers women’s team consistently placed in the top three at each Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Grand Prix. This set the squad up well for the Conference Championships, where they captured ACAC gold.
Corcoran’s goal is to build the Rattlers Running program up to be the best small-college program in the CCAA as well as to provide a superior college experience for every runner. Running at Medicine Hat should be the highlight of each student-athlete’s college experience, in Corcoran’s mind.
When Medicine Hat started the Rattlers Cross-Country Running program, they were fortunate to have access to one of the top running coaches in Canada in Corcoran, according to Terry Ballard, Sport and Wellness Manager at Medicine Hat.
“Bill brought instant credibility to the program and in two years, it has progressed to become an ACAC Champion,” said Ballard. “Bill focuses on the three development pillars that Rattlers Athletics emphasizes: Athletics, Academics and Citizenship, and helps his student-athletes in each of these developmental areas.”
Corcoran aims to build the sport locally and regionally as well as at the ACAC and CCAA levels by creating connections and building community.
Now, Rattlers Running is a year-round program. Outside of the Medicine Hat Cross-Country Running and Indoor Track seasons, the group meets two or three times per week for organized workouts and runs with team members, future team members, former team members, college and university runners from other institutions and other community runners.
Corcoran, a former CCAA Cross-Country Running Convenor, is also the Technical Director on Medicine Hat’s Host Committee for this year’s CCAA Championships.
Aside from his role at the college, Corcoran coaches with Athletics Alberta and works with three Alberta clubs – Medicine Hat Panthers, Medicine Hat Bulldogs, and Peace Country Wolves Athletic Club.
Corcoran is also an active Masters athlete who competes in local and provincial meets in middle distance (800m) and throwing (shot put and discus) events.
Other nominees for the CCAA Cross-Country Running Coach of the Year award were Paul Boots of the St. Clair Saints (Ontario Colleges Athletic Association), Vincent Filion of the Elans de Garneau (Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec) and Brandon LeBlanc of the Crandall Chargers (Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association).
The CCAA Cross-Country Running Coach of the Year recipient receives a customized ring provided by Jostens Canada, the Official Ring Supplier of CCAA Championships.
Media Contact:
Rodney Wilson / rodney@ccaa.ca
Manager, Communications & Events
