Team BC mourns the passing of Gord May whose life journey ended Monday night, September 30, 2013. Known for his dry sense of humour and quick wit, Gord spent countless hours making sure Team BC coaches had the credentials they needed to guide their athletes at the Canada Games, the Western Canada Summer Games and beyond.
He earned the trust and respect of BC’s coaching fraternity and left a legacy of comprehensive programming, valuable partnerships and effective evaluation tools. He has made a remarkable contribution to the province of British Columbia and has touched our lives in immeasurable ways.
We will miss him – Team BC – Press Release – Oct 1/2013
An Excerpt from the BC Coaches Perspective Magazine – Spring 2012 Edition:
“The Coaches BC staff thought we would put together the following list about Gord, reflecting why he’s such a great leader and has taken Coaches BC to where it is today.”
1. Not only did Gord start the Coaches Association of BC in 1993, but also he has been the reason that so many coaches have a voice in the province. Our organization is one of the biggest and strongest in Canada, leading the way for the provinces.
2. Gord is a huge Edmonton Oilers fan, living in a Canuck city. Not only has this led to some terrible YouTube clips being sent around the office, but during playoff time I’m sure you can guess the heckling that took place.
3. Gord is a very easy person to talk to. He is a good counselor to a lot of people, which is evident by the number of people who stop by our office to chat. No one comes to the Sport BC building without stopping by to see Gord.
4. Gord has a great sense of humour… if you catch the joke. Although sometimes it’s hard to hold back rolling our eyes, he’s always able to keep the mood light and make the office a fun place to be.
5. Gord rides a motorcycle, which we caringly refer to as as cootercycle. If you ever notice that guy flying into the parking lot wearing a black leather jacket and intimidating looking helmet – that’s Gord
6. Gord goes to Tim Hortons every day! We think they’ve gone out of business since he’s been away from the office.
7. Gord thinks outside the box and has ideas for the association that don’t necessarily follow the norm, which keeps the association ‘fresh’. It’s one of the reason’s Coaches BC has become the leader in coaching education and training across Canada.
8. Gord keeps up with technology and always keeps the computers and software up to date for the staff. Did you know Coaches BC is run on Google Apps (ie. gmail)? Gord is even a Mac user at home and has a Macbook Air!
9. Gord has always allowed the staff to take on projects and had faith that we would do a good job. He recognizes our accomplishments and takes the time to show his appreciation.
10. Gord is a very caring boss, always checking his staff to make sure we are okay. Personal well-being is a priority for Gord and he works hard to ensure his staff are happy and healthy in their work environment.
Gord has a little sign by his desk that says the following “They all want to work for a company that: recognizes their needs, thanks them for their accomplishments, provides them with advancement opportunities and effectively manages their performance”
Gord must look at this every day, as he has every conversation with this in mind. It’s because of this that we are all proud to work for Coaches BC.
From the BC Coaches Society Staff – Chantelle, Heather, Leah and Laura
He will be missed by all those in the coaching community!