Courtesy: Laval Athletics
Université Laval, August 6, 2020 – The Rouge et Or varsity swimming Club has a new pilot at its head: Patrick Paradis was hired today as head coach of the Université Laval squad.
Based in North Vancouver, British Columbia since 2010, he was the head coach and director of swimming for the Chena Swim Club, whose athletes have won countless medals on the provincial, national and international stages. Patrick Paradis also rose through the ranks to be part of the coaching staff of the Canadian team at various international events, such as the 2018 World Junior Open Water Championships in Eilat, Israel, the 2017 UANA Junior Open Water Championships in Cayman Islands as well as the 2014 Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Maui, Hawaii.
“This is a dream job in a prestigious establishment. Opportunities like that don’t come often in a lifetime! Exclaims Patrick Paradis. “Also, as I was born in Cornwall, Ontario, it’s like coming home for me. ”
In 10 years, Paradis has grown the Chena Swim Club from 90 competitive swimmers to 150, helping his team complete the last nine years with a budget surplus. He also acted as a mentor for five of his assistant coaches who went on to head coaching positions.
“In my opinion, the Rouge et Or is a program that should compete with the best in the country like UBC and the University of Toronto. We should win the provincial championship every year! We are going to start by changing the mentality of student-athletes and giving them confidence, ”says Paradis.
“I’m very happy to welcome Patrick to the Rouge et Or Program,” said Assistant Director of Sports Activities and Rouge et Or Program Manager Jean-Noël Corriveau. “There is no doubt that his experience and personal qualities will be important assets in supporting student-athletes to new academic and sporting heights. I wish him the best of luck with this new challenge, ”he adds.
“Patrick Paradis is an exceptional coach. I am confident that he will be able to bring our student- athletes to a very high level of excellence, “adds the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Rouge et Or Swimming Club Jean-Marie De Koninck.
Honoring the slogan “De gloire et d’excellence”
Patrick Paradis will try to restore its letters of nobility to the Rouge et Or program. Laval has not known the joys of a provincial championship for a few years now, their last banner conquests dating back to 2016 for men, 2009 for women and 2012 in the combined events.
“We’re going to get there with a good plan. I am a very methodical coach; there is a goal behind every exercise in training and I am very honest with my athletes, without having to raise my voice, because it is not my style, but I like to set the record straight with everyone ”, explains the new Laval head coach. “However, I see my relationship with them more as a partnership. I take care of the person before the athlete and involve them in the plan. Because you can have goals, but without a plan, a goal is just a wish. Our goals will become reality with the plan that we will establish together. ”
It should be noted that the current assistant coaches, Emmanuel Vergé (who assumed the interim for a second year in a row), Johanne Girardin and Samuel Matte will remain with the team. Patrick Paradis will officially take office on September 1.
One of the best and most underrated coaches in Canada. I bet at least a few of his current swimmers will go with him. HUGE loss for BC and an even bigger win for Quebec.
The best thing to happen to Quebec swimming in years