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45 GEORGIANVIEW 2024 PRINT EDITION ATHLETICS In the history of Georgian Grizzlies men's rugby, the name John Daggett shines brightly. After a remarkable tenure spanning over a decade, Coach Daggett has decided to hang up his coaching boots, marking the end of an illustrious era. Since taking control in the 2012-13 season, John has been the guiding force behind the Grizzlies rise in the Ontario Collegiate Athletic Association (OCAA). Over his 11 seasons at the helm, John's leadership has been nothing short of exemplary, steering the team to an impressive overall record of 58 wins, 20 losses and two ties, including playoffs. Under his leadership, the Grizzlies men's rugby team has become synonymous with excellence, capturing gold twice (2016, 2023), securing silver on five occasions (2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022), and clinching bronze once (2017). John's relentless pursuit of perfection has translated into a remarkable five West Division Coach of the Year titles and two OCAA Coach of the Year awards in 2016 and 2019. What sets him apart is not just his knack for winning, but his ability to nurture talent and mould champions. The Grizzlies, under his stewardship, never missed the playoffs. John's most enduring legacy lies in the players he's coached. A staggering 37 league All-Stars, three Players of the Year, and four Rookies of the Year. His impact echoes not just within Georgian College, but across the Canadian rugby landscape, earning him accolades such as the Rugby Ontario Club Coach of the Year in 2016 and the prestigious Rugby Canada Male Coach of the Year award in the same year—a fitting recognition of his contributions to the sport. Jesse Pustai, a graduate of the Pre-service Firefighter Education and Training program (class of 2023) – story on page 14 – said one of the main reasons he chose Georgian was because of the feeling John gave him in his initial correspondence about the rugby program. | John Daggett holds up the 2023 trophy for the Grizzlies' Men's Rugby Championship win. "I picked the vibe off him that it was very much a tight- knit team with the players that returned to play and the new ones coming in," recalls Jesse. "I just got the feeling it was the atmosphere I was looking for." As John says goodbye to coaching, the Georgian Grizzlies and the broader rugby community are left with a lasting impression of his legacy—a legacy built on resilience, dedication and a commitment to the pursuit of excellence. As far as rugby, John is definitely not giving up coaching. He plans to continue mentoring coaches and instilling a love of rugby into young kids. "I'm going to do some mentoring of younger coaches along with some other great local coaches I look up to," he says. "I continue to work with local high school rugby programs and will likely support the local club again this summer. I plan on coaching kids new to rugby next year, 8, 9, and 10-year-olds, hoping to introduce them to this wonderful game and ensure they are having fun." With over 20 years at Georgian under his belt, John will continue in his role as manager of Co-op Education and Career Success. Beloved coach retires from rugby at Georgian