West Shore resident and Belmont volleyball coach, Mike Toakley, was presented with the B.C. School Sports coach of the year award at BelmontB次元官网网址檚 end of year athletics award ceremonies.
What makes this achievement even more special is that Toakley is set to retire from teaching at the end of this school year.
Ken Lowe, BelmontB次元官网网址檚 athletic director, had known Toakley was receiving the award for a few weeks beforehand, but kept it a surprise.
Toakley coached Lowe at the B.C. Winter Games years ago and the two coached a championship team together years later.
As a coach, he has won five high school provincial championships at Belmont, three with the senior girls, one with the junior girls, that he co-coached with Lowe, and a senior boys championship in B次元官网网址�97.
Toakley was presented with a replica of a provincial championship banner, saying he was very humbled and excited by the award.
B次元官网网址淚 really appreciate the efforts the parent group and he [Lowe] went to, it was above and beyond and much appreciated,B次元官网网址� Toakley said.
While itB次元官网网址檚 always desirable to end on a high note, Toakley doesnB次元官网网址檛 want to stop coaching anytime soon.
The core group at Belmont that won the three-peat championships B次元官网网址� that Toakley has brought along since middle school B次元官网网址� has four girls left to graduate and he wants to see them through until the end of high school.
B次元官网网址淚 love coaching volleyball and IB次元官网网址檒l do it for as long as I can,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 enjoyed being with them and their families. ItB次元官网网址檚 always been rewarding and extremely positive.B次元官网网址�
When he himself graduated from high school, he had no idea the kind of legacy he would leave to the sport.
He attended the University of Victoria as a high jumper and when the menB次元官网网址檚 volleyball coach saw him jump, he recruited him to play.
Toakley said his first year of university volleyball was tough, playing with very gifted athletes, but he practiced every day in the off-season and he got better, a lot better.
So good, that he became a starter for the provincial junior team. After travelling to Hawaii and Japan with the team for tournaments he became hooked on the sport and itB次元官网网址檚 been his enduring passion.
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