Jim (Pops) Russell introduced to the game in 1978 by his friend Wolfgang Penner, and following a memorable 1979 SNAFU spectator experience, Jim started playing rugby for the Assassins Rugby Football Club in 1980, where he spent 14 years as a Prop forward before an injury was to end his playing days at the age of forty. During his brief playing career, Jim was bestowed the clubs’ Most Improved Player and Best Forward awards in 1981 and a Best Forward 2nd Division award in 1993. All the same, Jim’s many contributions to the game of rugby are to be found in his work as an Administrator, Coach (where he garnered the nick name “Pops”) and a Volunteer.
As an administrator Jim served his club in many capacities over the years including: Member at Large (1982-1985), Vice President (1986), President (1987, 1988, 1992, 2005 and 2006) and Secretary/Publicity (1997 and 1998). In addition to his club involvement, Jim was honoured to be selected to serve as the Area Manager for the Rugby Canada Can/Am International match held in Winnipeg in 1993, served as Rugby Manitoba’s High Performance Unit Manager and Rugby Canada Super League Sr. Buffalo Manager in 2005, and served five terms as Rugby Manitoba Secretary in 2007, 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2014.
Arguably perhaps, Pops’ more significant contributions to the sport could be found in his work as a Coach. Head coach, co-coach, assistant coach, Pops has coached at the High School, Club and Provincial Team levels for many years beginning in 1986 with the Assassins RFC and continuing to this day with the Manitoba Senior Men’s Provincial Team program alongside comrades Rick Romsa, Randy Dilk and Brent Tomchuk. At the High School level Pops was to coach at Churchill High School from 1988 to 1993 and again in 1998 winning the Provincial 11 Aside Championship in 1988, the Provincial 15 Aside Championship in 1989 and the Provincial “B” Championship in 1993. At the Club level, Pops coached the Assassins RFC in varying capacities from 1986-1992, 1994-2003, and again in 2005, 2010 and 2011 helping guide the club to 17 various 1st and/or 2nd Division Provincial and/or League Championship titles between 1995 and 2003. At the Provincial level, Pops coached in varying capacities the Manitoba U-17 Boys from 1993 to 1997 (winning a Western Canada Summer Games Bronze Medal in 1993 and Gold Medal in 1994), the U-18 Boys in 1998 and 1999, the U-21 Men’s in 2004 and 2005, the Sr. Buffalo in 2006 and 2007 and the Sr. Men’s Provincial Team program from 2013 to the present.
As a volunteer, Jim remains a long standing member of the Manitoba Friends of Rugby established in 2005 by the wives of the Provincial U-21 Men’s Team coaches. Since then the group has raised more than $225,000 in support of various provincial level and youth rugby development programs and initiatives, including elite athlete funding assistance and various Maple Grove Rugby Park enhancements.
Following a pitch by Don Pincock, in October of 2008, on the prospect of one undertaking to establish a Hall of Fame for rugby in Manitoba, Jim jumped at the opportunity believing for many years that as a sport, little was done collectively to celebrate our history, accomplishments and successes. As a result, Jim was to lay the groundwork for establishing the Manitoba Rugby Hall of Fame, developing much of its structure, securing a likewise committed group of volunteers, and served as founding Committee Chair stepping aside in 2017; but remaining to serve in the capacity of Communications Coordinator.
Over the years Jim has been bestowed many honours for his contributions and achievements to the sport including the Assassins RFC “Presidents Award” in 1990, 1995, and 2005 and “Long Term Service Award” in 2001; the Rugby Manitoba “Raymond Skett Award” in 1994; the Rugby Manitoba “Presidents Award” in 1998 and 2005; the Province of Manitoba “Order of Sport Excellence – Coach” award in 1994, and in 2012 was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his outstanding and exemplary contributions to Canada in the public service (Project Management) and the local community (Rugby Volunteerism).
For 38 years and counting, Jim has and continues to serve the rugby community in Manitoba with a breadth of contributions and achievements to be rivaled by few and thereby deserving of his induction to the Manitoba Rugby Hall of Fame as a “Builder”.
As an administrator Jim served his club in many capacities over the years including: Member at Large (1982-1985), Vice President (1986), President (1987, 1988, 1992, 2005 and 2006) and Secretary/Publicity (1997 and 1998). In addition to his club involvement, Jim was honoured to be selected to serve as the Area Manager for the Rugby Canada Can/Am International match held in Winnipeg in 1993, served as Rugby Manitoba’s High Performance Unit Manager and Rugby Canada Super League Sr. Buffalo Manager in 2005, and served five terms as Rugby Manitoba Secretary in 2007, 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2014.
Arguably perhaps, Pops’ more significant contributions to the sport could be found in his work as a Coach. Head coach, co-coach, assistant coach, Pops has coached at the High School, Club and Provincial Team levels for many years beginning in 1986 with the Assassins RFC and continuing to this day with the Manitoba Senior Men’s Provincial Team program alongside comrades Rick Romsa, Randy Dilk and Brent Tomchuk. At the High School level Pops was to coach at Churchill High School from 1988 to 1993 and again in 1998 winning the Provincial 11 Aside Championship in 1988, the Provincial 15 Aside Championship in 1989 and the Provincial “B” Championship in 1993. At the Club level, Pops coached the Assassins RFC in varying capacities from 1986-1992, 1994-2003, and again in 2005, 2010 and 2011 helping guide the club to 17 various 1st and/or 2nd Division Provincial and/or League Championship titles between 1995 and 2003. At the Provincial level, Pops coached in varying capacities the Manitoba U-17 Boys from 1993 to 1997 (winning a Western Canada Summer Games Bronze Medal in 1993 and Gold Medal in 1994), the U-18 Boys in 1998 and 1999, the U-21 Men’s in 2004 and 2005, the Sr. Buffalo in 2006 and 2007 and the Sr. Men’s Provincial Team program from 2013 to the present.
As a volunteer, Jim remains a long standing member of the Manitoba Friends of Rugby established in 2005 by the wives of the Provincial U-21 Men’s Team coaches. Since then the group has raised more than $225,000 in support of various provincial level and youth rugby development programs and initiatives, including elite athlete funding assistance and various Maple Grove Rugby Park enhancements.
Following a pitch by Don Pincock, in October of 2008, on the prospect of one undertaking to establish a Hall of Fame for rugby in Manitoba, Jim jumped at the opportunity believing for many years that as a sport, little was done collectively to celebrate our history, accomplishments and successes. As a result, Jim was to lay the groundwork for establishing the Manitoba Rugby Hall of Fame, developing much of its structure, securing a likewise committed group of volunteers, and served as founding Committee Chair stepping aside in 2017; but remaining to serve in the capacity of Communications Coordinator.
Over the years Jim has been bestowed many honours for his contributions and achievements to the sport including the Assassins RFC “Presidents Award” in 1990, 1995, and 2005 and “Long Term Service Award” in 2001; the Rugby Manitoba “Raymond Skett Award” in 1994; the Rugby Manitoba “Presidents Award” in 1998 and 2005; the Province of Manitoba “Order of Sport Excellence – Coach” award in 1994, and in 2012 was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his outstanding and exemplary contributions to Canada in the public service (Project Management) and the local community (Rugby Volunteerism).
For 38 years and counting, Jim has and continues to serve the rugby community in Manitoba with a breadth of contributions and achievements to be rivaled by few and thereby deserving of his induction to the Manitoba Rugby Hall of Fame as a “Builder”.