For immediate release

March 2, 2009

Kwantlen Eagles badminton coach earns second coach of the year award

(SURREY, B.C.)  Kwantlen Polytechnic University Eagles badminton head coach, Dave Cruthers was presented the British Columbia Colleges’ Athletic Association (BCCAA) Coach of the Year award for 2008-2009. This is the second time in three years that Cruthers has been given this prestigious honour. The first time was in 2006-2007.

“Dave is extremely passionate about badminton, and in only a short period of time has demonstrated his ability to recruit and develop a competitive university-level team,” said Elise Le Brun, director of athletics and recreation. “We’re very proud of his accomplishment and the team’s overall performance this year.”

This season was an outstanding year for Cruthers. He guided the Eagles badminton team to its second consecutive BCCAA silver medal and four individual medals, including one silver and three bronze medals—the best result in the program’s five-year history.

“It’s always great when you can improve from one year to the next,” said head coach Cruthers. “Winning our first medal [last year] was great, but winning four this year definitely shows that we are on the right track.”

Cruthers was able to compile a squad that mixed several key rookies with an established group of veterans.

“It has always been my goal to build this program into a perennial contender.” commented Cruthers. “Last year proved that we had the foundation to compete in the BCCAA, but with the additions of Peter [Huang] and Willis [Kwee], we have now taken the next step into building an elite program.”

The Kwantlen Eagles have now garnered a total three BCCAA Coach of the Year award winners including Dave Cruthers (2008-2009 & 2006-2007) and Bernie Love for men’s basketball in (2002-2003).

Kwantlen’s varsity athletics teams are the Kwantlen Eagles. In basketball, soccer, badminton and golf, they compete in national intercollegiate leagues. For more information about the Kwantlen Eagles, visit www.kwantlen.ca/eagles

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For more information about the Eagles badminton program, contact:
Elise Le Brun
Director, Athletics & Recreation
Tel: 604.599.2005
elise.lebrun@kwantlen.ca

OR

For more information about Kwantlen, contact:
Peter Chevrier
Director, Marketing & Communications
Tel: 604.599.2286
peter.chevrier@kwantlen.ca