coach
Richard “Jimmy” Smith
Richard “Jimmy” Smith is a former professional rugby player and Welsh Senior Men’s International with a 13 year career playing in the top leagues of European rugby, including stints with Cardiff Blues, Sale
Sharks and Worcester Warriors. He captained a Senior Men’s development tour to Canada in 2000 where, after experiencing the beauty of the Rocky Mountains during the Alberta leg of the trip, the
seeds were sown for his later emigration to Calgary.
Since arriving in Alberta in 2012, he has served as Director of Rugby for the Calgary Canucks, including managing three senior teams, facilitating coach development and the running of a youth academy, and undertook a 10 year stint with the University of Calgary Dino’s ladies team, which saw them win 3 back to back CanWest titles and finish in the top 4 nationally.
Growing up in Wales where rugby is the national sport, it was inevitable he would develop a passion for the game and this burns as brightly today as it did when he began playing mini rugby, aged just 6, in his
hometown village of Oakdale, in the heart of the South Wales coal mining valleys. His philosophy has always been founded on playing for the enjoyment of the game, the opportunity it affords for self
expression and a free spirited, instinctive approach.
“I always wanted to go out on the field and make a difference, to try things and help those around me to be the best they could be, and this ethos is reflected in my approach to coaching and my desire to grow the game where possible and open up to others, the opportunities I was so fortunate to have growing up with the game.”
“Sport is a wonderful environment for people to develop not only their physical literacy but to grow as a person through teamwork, discipline, respect and appreciation of others.”
Jimmy cites the All Blacks as one of his inspirations, not only for the exciting way in which they approach the game on the field but perhaps more importantly, the respect and humility they demonstrate off the field………anecdotes of the players cleaning the changing room after International test matches and acknowledging that they are only temporary custodians of the famed black playing shirt during their time in the team, illustrate the power of the rugby culture to instill values that transcend sport.
Outside of rugby, Jimmy enjoys many sporting activities, particularly golf and like any good Welshman, loves his music…….”I’d love to be able to say I have a tiny bit of musical ability! but I do have some fun facts here, in that I went to the same school as the well known UK band, The Manic Street Preachers,
and I can lay claim to having Noel Gallagher, of the world famous Manchester band, Oasis, actually come and watch the team I played for!!! (their manager originated from Ebbw Vale in the Welsh valleys and was co-owner of his home-town club, which I played for at the time!)
Position:
Scrum Half….I liked to be involved and talk a lot!
clubs:
Cardiff Blues, Sale Sharks, Worcester Warriors, Ebbw Vale, Bristol Bears, Newbridge, Newport….and Oakdale (my village!)
debut:
Senior Top Class rugby debut was for Newport v the world famous Barbarians in 1992, as a skinny 19 year old…..I actually scored a try against a star studded team, even though we were beaten heavily! I think I got to the line out of fear of being crunched by Micky Skinner a larger than life England flanker at the time.
achievements:
Senior Wales cap in the inaugural Six Nations tournament, February 2000, v France at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff…….my proudest moment, not least because I was playing for Ebbw Vale, a valley club close to home when I achieved this. Captain of Welsh Development Tour to Canada 2000, Cardiff RFC club cap, received in the final year (2003) of their traditional existence as a Senior professional Welsh club, before the format changed to Regional Franchises – a nice tie to the historic tradition of club rugby in Wales.
coaching qualifications:
World Rugby Level 1 & 2 accreditations and a career of influence from wonderful people, from those at the grass roots who set me on my way, to the likes of Sir Graham Henry, John Mitchell (both former All Black coaches), Mike Ruddock (Grand Slam winner with Wales) and Dai
Young (current Cardiff Blues coach and former Welsh Captain).
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