April 14, 2015 – Talbot Walton, head coach of the back-to-back Women’s Volleyball champion Red Deer Queens, is this year’s recipient of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association’s Coaching Excellence Award.
The Coaching Excellence Award recognizes coaching contributions to sport and to athlete development over a period of five years or more.
“We are very pleased to recognize Talbot as the CCAA Coaching Excellence Award winner for 2015,” said CCAA President Leigh Goldie. “Over his 15-year tenure at Red Deer College, Talbot has demonstrated nothing but excellence as a coach and an educator.”
Walton guided the Queens to a thrilling five-set victory at the 2015 CCAA Women’s Volleyball National Championship in March at Cégep Édouard-Montpetit – successfully defending the title they captured in 2014 at Seneca College in Toronto.
In his 15 years at Red Deer College, Walton has led the Queens to five medals at Nationals. On top of their two recent gold medals, the Queens have captured a silver and two bronze medals.
Through work ethic, cooperation, technical and tactical development, self-improvement, and whole-person development, Walton has developed one of the most successful Women’s Volleyball programs in the CCAA.
In the process, Walton’s student-athletes have learned to respect their teammates and grasp a team-first mentality.
“His dedication as a coach has paid off in numerous ACAC and CCAA medals for his team but he has also found time to contribute to the sport of volleyball at the local, provincial and national levels as an organizer and coach,” said Goldie. “He fulfills all the criteria of the award and more.”
Walton, a Kinesiology instructor at the institution, has been the RDC Summer Volleyball Camp director and coach since 2000. He also hosts the RDC Volleyball Coaching Symposium and has twice been a mentor in the CCAA Female Apprentice Coach Program.
Walton was named the 2006 CCAA Coach of the Year and has been named the ACAC Coach of the Year five times. He is a certified Level 3 coach in indoor and a certified Level 2 coach in beach.
Under his tenure at Red Deer, 25 student-athletes have moved on to play CIS volleyball.
“As a former volleyball coach, I can say with great confidence that Talbot is one of the strongest coaches in Canada – at any level,” said Keith Hansen, Athletic Director at Red Deer. “We are lucky to have him here at RDC.”
The award is presented by the Professional Coaching Department of the Coaching Association of Canada, to which Walton will receive a one-year membership.
“The Professional Coaching Department of the Coaching Association of Canada is proud to honour Talbot as the 2015 recipient of the CCAA Coaching Excellence Award,” said Wayne Parro, ChPC, Executive Director of the Professional Coaching Department of the CAC.
“His accomplishments speak volumes about his dedication to athlete development, and his personal development as a coach and leader.”
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