Mike Brown was actively engaged in rugby in Manitoba starting in 1975, when he started playing for the University of Manitoba Wombats Rugby Football Club. Mike was best known as an athletic trainer at the provincial, school, and club levels, and used his experience to organize and lead the medical team for events such as the inaugural 2003 Rugby Canada Festival. He also served both as a provincial and a high school coach, notably leading the 1999 Vincent Massey Trojans/Kelvin Clippers to a Division 1 Championship with Co-Head Coach Billy Bien. Mike also served as a Director of Rugby Manitoba, as well as the President of Manitoba High School Rugby.
Mike grew up knowing of rugby from his father, who was born and raised in the Midlands of England. When Mike moved to Winnipeg, rugby wasn’t well established in schools. He was introduced to the game itself in 1975 when he started playing for The University of Manitoba. Thereafter he played, coached, trained, and was an administrator for his club as well as other organizations. Mike played at the club level from 1975 through until the late 1980s, ending his playing career with the Manitoba Old Boys (the “MOB”), always under the banner of the University of Manitoba.
Mike started coaching in the 1980s and continued until the early 2000s. He coached at the high school level for Transcona Collegiate, West Kildonan Collegiate, and Vincent Massey Collegiate. While Mike was Head Coach for Vincent Massey in 1999, he was instrumental in the team’s amalgamation that year with Kevin High School’s team, coached by Bill Bien. The combined team won the first division championship while wearing one school’s jerseys in the first half of the game and the other school’s jerseys in the subsequent half. While coaching high school rugby, Mike was President of Manitoba High School Rugby and heavily involved in developing rugby in school. From 1999 to 2002, Mike coached the Manitoba Under-18 team and travelled to Denver to play the US Under-19s, as well as the Manitoba Under-21s alongside Rick Romsa and Lou Furlan. In 2002, he coached the Manitoba Under-18 team that played against the US representative side.
It was as a trainer that Mike arguably made his greatest contribution to rugby. He apprenticed as a trainer under the legendary Gord Mackie from 1979 to 1987, and went on to serve as a trainer for many teams in many sports. For rugby he established the original contacts with athletic therapists and trainers. As a Registered Nurse and part of the MNU executive, he organized proper medical units for the 2001 Women’s Canada Rugby Cup and the National Rugby Festivals starting in 2003, setting new standard for all such events.
Mike served two terms on Rugby Manitoba’s board from 2001 to 2005 and showed great promise before illness beset him. He fought with great spirit and determination, even climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in support of Alzheimer’s, before ultimately succumbing to his illness and passing away in 2008.
Mike grew up knowing of rugby from his father, who was born and raised in the Midlands of England. When Mike moved to Winnipeg, rugby wasn’t well established in schools. He was introduced to the game itself in 1975 when he started playing for The University of Manitoba. Thereafter he played, coached, trained, and was an administrator for his club as well as other organizations. Mike played at the club level from 1975 through until the late 1980s, ending his playing career with the Manitoba Old Boys (the “MOB”), always under the banner of the University of Manitoba.
Mike started coaching in the 1980s and continued until the early 2000s. He coached at the high school level for Transcona Collegiate, West Kildonan Collegiate, and Vincent Massey Collegiate. While Mike was Head Coach for Vincent Massey in 1999, he was instrumental in the team’s amalgamation that year with Kevin High School’s team, coached by Bill Bien. The combined team won the first division championship while wearing one school’s jerseys in the first half of the game and the other school’s jerseys in the subsequent half. While coaching high school rugby, Mike was President of Manitoba High School Rugby and heavily involved in developing rugby in school. From 1999 to 2002, Mike coached the Manitoba Under-18 team and travelled to Denver to play the US Under-19s, as well as the Manitoba Under-21s alongside Rick Romsa and Lou Furlan. In 2002, he coached the Manitoba Under-18 team that played against the US representative side.
It was as a trainer that Mike arguably made his greatest contribution to rugby. He apprenticed as a trainer under the legendary Gord Mackie from 1979 to 1987, and went on to serve as a trainer for many teams in many sports. For rugby he established the original contacts with athletic therapists and trainers. As a Registered Nurse and part of the MNU executive, he organized proper medical units for the 2001 Women’s Canada Rugby Cup and the National Rugby Festivals starting in 2003, setting new standard for all such events.
Mike served two terms on Rugby Manitoba’s board from 2001 to 2005 and showed great promise before illness beset him. He fought with great spirit and determination, even climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in support of Alzheimer’s, before ultimately succumbing to his illness and passing away in 2008.
Passed 2008