NATIONAL RUGBY ACADEMY MANAGER / National U20 Head Coach
Michael Shelley
 
The assigned person will provide leadership to Rugby Canada’s National Academy program for males, provide oversight to the programs operating in the Regional Academies as well as perform the role of Head Coach of the national under 20 Men’s team.  The role is viewed as being an integral and significant element of the high performance player pathway process as outlined in Rugby Canada’s Long Term Rugby Development framework.
 
The position involves a commitment to aspects of high performance player development and talent identification.  This position focuses upon the progression of talent-identified players from club, school and/or university participation into Rugby Canada’s national and international level programs.
 
The person involved in this role is required to coach, manage players, plan programs and manage high performance programs.


Mike Shelley joins Rugby Canada as the National Rugby Academy Manager and National Under-20 Men’s Team Head Coach.  Born and raised in England, Mike has a life of experience in rugby.  Mike was a professional player from 1996-2006 and has 244 appearances as prop for Leeds Tykes RUFC.  He spent four years with Leeds Tykes as Team Captain and another three as Club Captain and won the Powergen Cup in this role.  While with Leeds, Mike served as Player Representative to the Professional Rugby Players Association.  He went on to represent his country after being selected to England A from 2002-2005, visiting Edmonton for the 2005 Churchill Cup.

Mike holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne and an MBA from the University of Bradford with specialization in Human Resource Management.  His work experience includes a placement with KPMG during his MBA and more recently as HR Advisor for WinSport Canada (Canadian Winter Sports Institute).  

Mike met his wife while playing for England A during the Churchill Cup and spent a year in Edmonton following his retirement in 2006 before moving to Calgary. He has  coached the Calgary Saints RFC to two Provincial Championship titles (2007 and 2008) before beginning work as Director of Rugby for Rugby Alberta. In that role, Mike's responsibilities included coaching U20’s, Academy Manager, management of age grade teams and was involved in developing junior programs.  In 2010, Mike was appointed Head Coach of the Prairie Wolf Pack and led the team to the Canadian Rugby Championship Final. 

Mike, his wife and son will move to Victoria, BC where he will assume his new role with Rugby Canada.


TODD SILVERTHORN
U 20 Program Manager / Centre of Excellence Manager

The program manager supports the National U 20 Head Coach and High Performance Manager with all duties associated with the U20 national squad of players. He manages all U20 events, camps and tours.

He addresses all organizational and administration matters associated with these activates as well as day to day operations. Other responsibilities include budget management, itinerary planning and the preparation of daily agendas when in camp and on tour. The role also includes planning travel arrangements for players and staff, kit preparation, logistical arrangements and incidental team management functions. The team manager is also responsible for communicating the on-going operations of the team during camps and tours by providing frequent progress updates to the Director of Rugby.

Todd Silverthorn is currently employed as the Manager, Centre of Excellence Operations.  Todd joined Rugby Canada in October 2011 as the Community Programs Manager, operating out the Centre of Excellence in Langford, BC.  Todd has spent time in the past working with Rugby Canada as an event and competition coordinator and brings a wealth of experience in sport management.  Todd spent the past few years working in professional and minor hockey in the ticketing and community liaison departments for the Abbotsford Heat (AHL) and former Chilliwack Bruins (now Victoria Royals of the WHL).

Todd graduated from Fanshawe College with a General Arts & Science Certificate and continued his education studying Sport Management at Brock University.  Raised in Lindsay, Ontario, Todd developed through the minor hockey system before getting involved in club and university rugby.  

Todd currently lives in Langford, BC.