UBC’s Physical Education (Kinesiology) faculty has been the career launching pad for many well-known coaches, teachers and athletes. Reid Mitchell proved to be a good example in addition to being one of the originals.
In fact Reid not only was a member of UBC’s inaugural Physical Education graduating class of 1949 but also the winner of the 1949 Bobby Gaul Award for his spirit, leadership and outstanding play with the basketball Thunderbirds. It was the previous year, 1948, that Reid played for the UBC team that won the Canadian basketball Olympic qualifying tournament. UBC’s victory meant Reid and his ‘Bird teammates, coached by Physical Education director Bob Osborne, were Canada’s basketball representatives at the 1948 London Olympics.
Following graduation Reid taught and coached at West Vancouver High School (his father was a long serving teacher and principal at the school) then in 1959 returned to UBC to teach in Physical Education. He would be here at UBC the same time as a fellow West Vancouver physical education teacher and the future director of UBC’s Women’s Athletics, Marilyn Pomfret.
Dr. Mitchell continued his significant teaching career at UBC and on many occasions helped young students launch their careers while serving as a role model. He was also an integral component of the BC High School Boys Basketball Association as it grew in the 1950s and 1960s, serving as its president.
Reid Mitchell, one of UBC and West Vancouver’s “icons”, passed away in 2012 and in a recent article in the North Shore “Outlook”, columnist Len Corben tells the entertaining story of how Reid in 1956 was the founder of West Vancouver High School’s distinctive tartan colours and its school nickname.
Written by Fred Hume, UBC Historian
