Toronto Arrows Release – 11 December 2018
(TORONTO, ON) – The Toronto Arrows have announced their on-field management staff for 2019.
The club’s on-field staff structure for its inaugural season in Major League Rugby will feature both some familiar and new faces in the mix.
Vice President & General Manager – Mark Winokur
The longtime Ontario Blues and Canada senior men’s team manager is also a former head coach of the Irish Canadian Rugby Club and Toronto Super League sides, and a former Canadian media executive.
Director of Rugby – Chris Silverthorn
As head coach of the Ontario Blues senior men’s program since 2012, Silverthorn owns a 44-15 all-time record at the helm of the provincial team. He is a former president of Lindsay Rugby Club and youth development officer for Rugby Ontario, and held coaching roles on numerous tours with Canada and Canada ‘A’ sides.
Coach – Cory Hector
As the head coach of the University of Guelph’s men’s rugby program, Hector’s Gryphons sides has appeared in the last five Ontario University Athletics championship finals. He has extensive experience coaching with the Canada U20 men’s program and other national and provincial age grade sides.
Coach – Aaron Carpenter
The most-capped player in Canadian rugby history played 12 seasons of professional rugby in the UK with Doncaster Rovers, Cornish Pirates and Coventry before retiring from on-field play in 2018. Carpenter’s first year of coaching included stints with the Canadian Rugby Championship winners Ontario Blues and his OUA alma mater McMaster University.
Coach – Peter Smith
The former Seattle Seawolves outhalf is set to begin his professional coaching career with the Arrows. Smith’s playing career also featured stops at Ospreys in Wales and numerous top-grade Japanese sides.
Performance Analyst – Rodin ‘Koko’ Lozada
The performance analyst for the Ontario Blues senior men’s team since the program’s inception in 2009, Lozada is also former head coach of Markham Irish and Oakville Crusaders senior men’s teams. Along with Winokur, Lozada the only remaining original Blues staff member.
Strength & Conditioning Coaches – Sean Harrison, Jeff Watson
Both longtime Ontario club rugby players, Harrison and Watson are also trainers of numerous NFL and NHL players.
Of note, the Arrows are one of only two MLR teams to be led by a North American-born coach.
“Given the success of our 2018 exhibition season and the favourable feedback from all stakeholders, it was a straightforward decision to retain our senior management, coaching and support staff as the Arrows formally enter the professional era as full members of Major League Rugby,” said Arrows President and Co-Founder Bill Webb.
The club will name its medical and support staff in the coming days, along with announcing additional merchandising and ticketing details.
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