COACHING STAFF
LAURIER PRIMEAU, HEAD COACH.
laurier.primeau@ubc.ca
Laurier was the co-founder and founding coach of the Vancouver Thunderbirds back in 2001. At the time, the club had only four members. With the help of others, Laurier has helped build the Vancouver Thunderbirds into the largest, and arguably most successful Not for Profit Track and Field Program in BC, with nearly 350 members from youth-master’s age groups, and every event category. In May 2015, Laurier became (and currently serves as) the head coach of the UBC track and field and cross country team. Since then, he has lead the UBC Thunderbirds to 6 NAIA National Championship titles and the 2018 Women's Canada West Cross Country Banner
As the head coach and administrator for the club, Laurier is involved in all aspects of Vancouver Thunderbirds. Most recently he has helped develop the Junior Development East program, out of Swangard stadium, with passion on increasing exposure and opportunities to multi-events (pentathlon) training for youth athletes.
From 2011 to 2015, Primeau worked to build Trinity Western's cross country and track and field programs into national powerhouses within CIS/U-Sports competition. In four years, TWU women's cross country progressed from an 18th-place standing at the CIS meet to a spot on the podium, while in track, the Spartan women went from 15th to second. On the men's side, Primeau's cross country teams have improved every year, going from 16th to seventh in four seasons. On the track, that rise has been from 15th place at the CIS meet to seventh.
In recognition of his efforts, the Canada West conference has honoured Primeau with its Coach of the Year award in women's cross country and track and field for two consecutive seasons. Primeau took time off from the Spartans in the summer of 2012 to fill the role as head coach of Canada's Paralympic Team at the Summer Olympics in London.
Before TWU, he was the head coach of Scottish Athletics for two years – from 2009 to 2011 – where he guided his team to an 18th place finish at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
Between 2002 and 2013, Primeau was a coach with Canada's national track and field team, responsible for jumps, combined events and relays. He helped lead Canada at two World Junior Championships and three Pan American Junior Championships.
Primeau is no stranger to the UBC family. He competed as a Thunderbird in 2000, winning a bronze medal in the 60-metre hurdles at the Canada West championships in Winnipeg and silver medals in the 4x400-metre relay at both the Canada West and CIS meets.
From 2002 to 2009, Primeau served as an assistant coach with UBC track and field in charge of sprints, hurdles, combined events, jumps and javelin. During this time period, he worked with some of the Thunderbirds' most recent Olympians: javelin throwers Liz Gleadle and Curtis Moss and high jumper Mike Mason.
In 2007, he was the recipient of the Outstanding Coach Award for BC Athletics and, in 1991, he was awarded Sport BC's "Harry Jerome Comeback Athlete of the Year" after returning to the competitive track after a battle with cancer.
Primeau has full NCCP Level 4 certification and also has a UKA Level 2 coaching license.
JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT COACHES (FOR AGES 9-13)
GRAEME FELL
Junior Development Head Coach: runnergraeme@gmail.com
Graeme began his career as a club athlete in England running cross-country and competing in all events. Specializing in steeplechase as he grew older, he earned National team spots on first Britain and then Canada. Competed at Commonwealth, Olympic and World Championships and is the former Canadian Record Holder in the 3000m steeplechase. He has been an elementary teacher for 16 years and has coached at elementary, high school and at the international level. His goal is to build successful, life long, athletes. Currently, Graeme is in charge of the Junior Development program, and advises on athlete development and program creation at virtually every level of the sport.
Kenny Ho & Alger Liang
Junior Development East Head Coach: Kenny@thunderbirdstrack.org ; Alger@thunderbirdstrack.org
The two-man tandem team of Coaches Kenny Ho and Alger Liang lead our Swangard Based group. As multiple-time Canadian National team athletes themselves, as well as NAIA All-Americans, Kenny and Alger bring a wealth of experience and passion to their role in developing young athletes at our Burnaby location.
ENDURANCE COACHES
(FOR AGES 14+ MIDDLE AND LONG DISTANCES, CROSS COUNTRY)
CHRIS JOHNSON
Head of Endurance: cjohnson@stgeorges.bc.ca
Chris competed at the national level in the 800m level and transferred the knowledge he built up during his lengthy track career into coaching. He is the former head of cross country and track and field at St. George's School where his teams won several individual and team titles at the BC High School Championships, including the overall team title (boys and girls combined) at the 2012 BC High School Track and Field Championships with a boys only team. Chris has helped guide four Thunderbird middle distance athletes to spots on the Canadian National team and several of his athletes have run for Team BC in national level competition. In July 2015, he was also appointed Lead Endurance Coach at the University of British Columbia.
SEAN DAWSON
Assistant INTERMEDIATE Endurance Coach: sdawson@wpga.ca
Sean Dawson has been coaching cross-country and track and field for the past 12 years. He is a teacher and is the Head of the P.E. department at West Point Grey Academy. As well, he is the head of the school's cross country and track and field teams, and has won team titles at the BC High School Championships. Sean is a certified run, jump, throw instructor and is a NCCP Level III endurance coach. Prior to teaching, Sean was a registered massage therapist at UBC Sports Massage Therapy, and was a competitive road cyclist, competing in North America and Europe
CINDY CROWTHER
Head INTERMEDIATE Endurance Coach: cindy@thunderbirdstrack.org
Crowther comes to the Thunderbirds with extensive experience in high-school age middle distance oversight. From 2000 – 2008 she coached with the Golden Ears Track and Field Club and was instrumental in the careers of Jamie Clark (3:52 1500m in grade 12) and Brianna Chipney (multi-time BCHS track and field medalist).
Cindy brings incredible perspective reference pedagogy and appropriate development in formative and adolescent endurance running. Some of her qualification in this area comes from her day-time profession in special needs for elementary school children, while a significant piece of her philosophy has evolved from her own experiences as an athlete. Cindy still holds the BC record for 13 year olds in the 3000 meters (10:15.2), and she qualified for the U20 World Cross Country team as a 14 year old. Further, she twice won the U20 category of the Sun Run – when she was in 6th and 7th grade respectively. Foremost in her applied principles is that working hard and having fun don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Cindy wants the athletes she works with to perform at the highest level they can, within the context of being in the sport for life. She believes that running is an activity that is lifelong and should be perceived as more than just a teenage pursuit.
LESLIE SEXTON
Post-Secondary Endurance Coach
leslie.sexton@gmail.com
Leslie Sexton is an elite Canadian distance runner who has made multiple national teams. She holds personal bests of 2:31:51 in the marathon and 1:11:21 in the half marathon and is a 3-time Canadian Marathon championship medalist. In addition to her experience competing at a high level, Leslie is an NCCP Athletics Performance Coach and has coached cross country, track & field, and road racing at the club level in Ontario from 2013 to 2021. Now living in Vancouver, Leslie coaches the Vancouver Thunderbirds Post-Secondary Endurance Group.
STEVE WEILER
Varsity and Senior Endurance coach
steveweiler@hotmail.com
Steve Weiler is the Lead Endurance Coach at the University of British Columbia and a Senior Endurance coach with the Vancouver Thunderbirds. Weiler began coaching in 1999. He later founded and was the Head Coach of the London Runner Distance Club, through which he established the 1,500m Night track meet and built it to National prominence. He has helped athletes achieve 15 National Team selections and earn 24 individual National Championship medals across the full range of Endurance events.
INTERMEDIATE POWER SPEED COACHES
(FOR AGES 14+ Sprints, Hurdles, Throws, Jumps)
Corri Thompson
Head intermediate Sprint and Hurdles Coach: corrithompson@icloud.com
IULIANA KROEGER
Head Coach, Thunderbirds Surrey (JD-Intermediate Power Speed + Jumps):
iuliana@thunderbirdstrack.org
Iuliana was born and raised in Romania where she competed at the national level in hurdles, long jump and heptathlon. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education and Sports, with specialization in track and field form the National University of Phys-Ed and Sports Bucharest (UNEFS). She is a Level 2 Track and Field coach in Romania. She has worked as a physiotherapist for the International Red Cross in the management of the spinal cord injury patients in Vancouver. She is a BC fitness trainer, weight trainer and personal trainer. She is currently a Level 2 coach with UBC Thunderbirds Club in Surrey where she has tremendous passion in developing athletes' skills and enhancing their abilities to the highest level. She also uses the sport of track and field as a tool for their personal development. . Recently, Iuliana competed in the World Masters Championship, placing 4th in the Pentathlon for Canada. She is a BC Masters record holder in both triple jump and pentathlon events in the 41-45-year age group. She was the Head Coach for the BC Summer Games 2014 - Zone 3 Team, as well as the 2018 BC Summer Games Zone 4 Team Head Coach.
LARRY BLASCHUK
Jumps Coach: lsblaschuk@hotmail.com
First involved in track as an International level official before being invited to start coaching, Larry has been with the Vancouver Thunderbirds since 2006. He has coached numerous BC High School champions, Canadian Junior and Senior Champions, and Western Canada and Canada Summer Games medalists. Larry was the personal coach for Mike Mason, the BC Record holder in the event and a longtime National Team member as a World Junior Champion, a 2008 Olympian, a 2010 Commonwealth Games team member, and a FISU and NACAC medalist. Larry is motivated to continue to give back to the sport that he feels passionately about.
BYRON JACK
Horizontal Jumps Coach: udonojack@hotmail.com
Byron reached the National level as a triple-jump athlete and has been coaching since 1985. He has degrees in Physical Education and Education and is certified as a level 3 Jumps Coach. Byron still competes at the Masters’ Level internationally.
Megann Vandervliet
LEAD Throws Coach: MegannV@gmail.com
GORDON POLJAK
Pole Vault Coach: gordon.poljak@thunderbirdstrack.org
During his sport career, Gordan was the Croatian record holder in pole vault, as well as 3-time national champion. He also competed for the Croatian and Yugoslavian Track and Field team. Since moving to Canada in 2002 Gordan, has been involved in pole vault as a Masters athlete and assistant coach.
BILL FISHER
Pole Vault Coach: w.d.fisher-arch@telus.net
Bill Fisher competed nationally and internationally in the pole vault. Bill was national juvenile (youth) and junior champion and was selected for the National Junior Team for a European tour. Previously Bill coached Bruce Simpson, former Canadian champion in the pole vault.