McKaig, Terry

The amazing story of Varsity baseball at UBC is tied to 1997 Kinetics graduate Terry McKaig. It was the hiring of McKaig that same year as UBC’s head baseball coach that proved to be the key in launching to unexpected heights this resurrected program.

Terry as a player had made the Canadian national baseball team in 1995 but prior to his UBC appointment in 1997 had never before coached. Once he, along with his supporters the “Friends of Thunderbird Baseball”, established the program as part of the NAIA, the team experienced remarkable success. As of spring 2014 McKaig has guided the Thunderbirds to seven NAIA West championships and an appearance in the NAIA World Series. It was this World Series year the ‘Birds established themselves as the fourth best team in the entire US based NAIA.

The only program of its kind in Canada, Terry can be given much credit for building this concept and for sending 15 of his players on to professional baseball including elite draft choice and major leaguer Jeff Francis. Terry claims it was Jeff who really “put us on the map.” Meanwhile McKaig the innovator, with an impressive list of contacts, is looking to the future as far as the program is concerned and intends to keep building it with some exciting plans in mind.

At the completion of the 2014 season McKaig surpassed a significant milestone by guiding the Thunderbirds to more than 500 victories while at the same time has provided his student/ballplayers a chance to realize their dreams.

Written by Fred Hume, UBC Historian

Dr. Roger Jackson is not only one of Canada’s most heralded athletes and for more than four decades has worked to raise the sights of Canada’s academic, medical and Olympic endeavours.

Jackson graduated from UBC with an MPE in 1967 after having become nationally recognized as a rower with UBC’s Eights and UBC’s Pairs, combining with teammate George Hungerford in the latter to win an unexpected gold at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He was Canada’s flag-bearer for the 1968 Olympics continuing to row for Canada at the 1972 Olympic Games.
With his gold in 1964, he and Hungerford were the toast of the nation while being awarded the Lou Marsh Trophy as the Canadian Athlete of the year – with Rick Hanson the only other UBC athlete to receive this prestigious honour.

Roger went on to doctoral studies at the University of Wisconsin to achieve a PhD in Biodynamics. He then undertook a year of post-doctoral study at the University of Copenhagen. A year later, he represented Canada at the Munich Olympic Games, marking the end of his career as an Olympic competitor and the beginning of a new chapter in his life.

Jackson became involved with the Olympic movement as he co-ordinated the 1976 Olympics’ Game Plan as director of Sport Canada. He was chairman of the advisory board for the 1988 Calgary Olympics and was president of the Canadian Olympic Association from 1982 until 1990.

Roger continued his quest in physical education and Kinesiology as he became dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary. He is also the founder and Director of the University of Calgary Sport Medicine Centre, which not only bears his name but has grown in influence and comprehensiveness.

Dr. Jackson has a most impressive list of honours and acknowledgements including: the BC and UBC Sports Halls of Fame, UBC Alumni Achievement Award, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, the IOC Olympic Order and the Order of Canada.  In 2005, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Own the Podium 2010.

1993 Kinesiology and Education graduate Manny Sobral has taken a most unique path among those who have graduated from UBC. Born in Spain, Manny’s family emigrated to Canada when he was 5 years old. At age 13 in an attempt to shed weight, he started boxing at the gym at Hastings & Main. By age 20, as an amateur boxer, he had won five gold medals representing Canada at international competitions. He was three times Canadian Amateur Champion and had represented Canada at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, another of UBC’s unheralded Olympians. His 126 amateur bouts included 40 knockouts and only nine losses.

At age 25 as a teacher in the Burnaby school system and later in Vancouver, Manny turned professional and between 1996 and 1998 was Canadian Super Welterweight champion. During the 1990s he fought some of the world’s best welterweights and at one time was ranked in the top 10 in the world.

In 2002 at age 34, Manny retired from pro boxing with a 29 – 2 record and in addition to his Masters of Education degree co-founded Westcoast Promotions which has successfully promoted professional and amateur boxing events on the lower mainland. He has also promoted athletic charity events as well as World Police and Fire Fighter Games boxing events.

Boxing was and is perhaps Manny’s first love but his teaching is right up there as well as he says “ . . . I love and find (it) fulfilling.” In the words of the president of Boxing Canada “(Manny) is an example of how sport can shape the individual.”

Today Manny, through his sports experience and personality, is referred to as a successful esteem builder and educator of youth at risk.

Written by Fred Hume, UBC Historian

Not many UBC Kinesiology graduates have pursued a career in baseball and be honoured with induction into the Canada Baseball Hall of Fame. In fact only one KIN grad fits that complete description and he is 1968 graduate John Haar.

As a student at UBC Haar can be considered one of the Blue & Gold’s greatest athletes. He was a record-setting T-Bird soccer player on some great UBC teams. As a Varsity football player he was pursued by the BC Lions and actually received a contract offer to play for the Dallas Cowboys. But Haar’s best sport was baseball as he played on UBC’s baseball team during the 1960s under coach Frank Gnup.

After winning the Bobby Gaul Award in 1968 Haar was one of the few Thunderbirds of the era to pursue a professional baseball career playing in both the Yankee and Giants organizations. This evolved into coaching and the establishing of Canada’s National Baseball Institute which helped launch the professional careers of several local baseball players.

In 1999 Haar was inducted into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame, later the Burnaby Hall of Fame and in 2007 received induction into the Canada Baseball Hall of Fame located in St. Thomas, Ontario. John remains a baseball lifer, it’s in his blood and he has many interesting stories to tell. He continues to serve baseball in his early 70s as a major league scout.

Written by Fred Hume, UBC Historian

One of BC’s outstanding athletes of the 1970s and 1980s, P.E. (Kinesiology) alumna, Erminia Russo has forged an impressive career in the sport of volleyball. Erminia graduated from high school in Kelowna and in her first year on UBC’s volleyball team, she was a starter who quickly evolved into a three-time Canada West All-Star and All-Canadian. She was considered by her UBC coaches to be the team leader in addition to offensive statistical leader. According to coach Sandy Silver, “Erminia was strong in all aspects of the game . . . had a winning attitude and excellent poise.” In 1985 Erminia made Canada’s national team and played for Canada for eight years. According to Silver, she was “the quarterback of the team,” an experience climaxed by her appearance in the 1986 Olympics. All this as she completed her BPE at UBC in 1989. During the 1990s Erminia played professional volleyball in France, was one of Canada’s top beach volleyball players and embarked upon a coaching career. For two years she coached the University of Western Ontario volleyball team then from 1997/98 through 2000 was the successful head coach of UBC’s women’s team. She took UBC to the CIS finals in 1998 winning both Canada West and CIS Coach of the Year honours that year. In 1999 Erminia was honoured with the UBC Alumni Association Outstanding Young Alumnus Award and in 2007 was inducted into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame. Now married to former UBC football player and CFL coach Noel Thorpe, Erminia lives in Montreal where she continues to promote the game of volleyball and can be seen on television as an articulate Canadian volleyball analyst.

Written by Fred Hume, UBC Historian