Mulgrave Alumni Spotlight: Kevin Catliff

A L U M N I

N O 2 2018

M ULG R AV E .COM/COM M U NIT Y/A LUM N I

S P O T L I G H T

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K E V I N C AT L I F F Class of 2012 Interviewed by Cam Henderson | August 2018

When we set out to learn something, we all start as a pupil, taking in information and discovering new experiences. We participate in such activities until we are able to flip the script and impart that knowledge on someone else, as they start their own journeys. Some of you know him as Kevin, and now others know him as Mr. Catliff. Kevin Catliff, from the class of 2012, has had a unique opportunity to do exactly this in his role here at Mulgrave. Once a pupil of the teachers he now works alongside, he has some very interesting insights as he, the student, has now become the teacher.

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K E V I N C AT L I F F

What has your time between graduating and

that coming August. He gave me the date, time and

working at Mulgrave looked like?

location for me to show up (with about 100 others) and fortunately I made the team as a first-year

Since 2015, I spent my summers working for the

walk-on. I ended up playing varsity rugby for all

Vancouver Whitecaps as an Operations Crew

four years and although at times it was tough to

Member, which is the team that executes the

balance school, sports and a social life, I wouldn’t

transformation and operational setup of B.C. Place

have done it any other way. The long-lasting

Stadium for every Whitecaps FC home game. It

memories of traveling all around Ontario and

has been an awesome experience being behind the

playing in front of thousands of fans (especially the

scenes of every game, getting to know the White-

rowdy student sections at Queen’s) as well as the

capmanagement, front office, coaching staff, and

brotherhood created by all my teammates was a

even the players.

truly special experience.

Can you talk a bit about varsity sports and how it

In my final term of university I had an

has influenced your university and career choices?

internship with the London Knights (an Ontario

Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to work in the

Hockey League team) set up through the Sports

professional sport industry. I read about the Sports

Management programme. This was an awesome

Management program me at Western, and I was

stepping-stone for my career to finally have the

hooked right away. Right after I accepted my offer,

chance to work with a sport organisation. I spent

I emailed the Varsity Rugby coach at Western and

my time with them supporting the front office with

told him that I would like to try out for the team

marketing and promotional plans pertaining to advertising, sponsorships, and fan engagement.

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The biggest decision I have to make in the next year is deciding whether or not to pursue a Bachelor of Education from UBC or SFU! I am certainly loving my current position here as Athletics Coach, but in terms of my career development I need to decide on whether to become a full-time teacher OR follow my dream of working for a professional sport organisation and go back to work with the Whitecaps or another team. That being said, Mulgrave is such a fantastic place to work with all the great students & staff, the facilities, the view, etc. and it’s going to be hard to leave all of that behind.

What is one lesson/experience learned at Mulgrave that still has an impact on your life today?

The rigors of the IB diploma and learning how to time-manage with all the extracurricular activities I did throughout high school prepared me greatly for being able to balance playing varsity sports at

Has working at mulgrave changed your perspec-

university. At Mulgrave, I was fortunate to have

tive on what you want to do in life? If so, what has

fantastic coaches and role models in Martin Jones,

changed?

Gareth Ronald-Jones and Claude Leduc, among others. They persuaded me to try out for the

Working at Mulgrave and seeing the behind-the-

Western varsity rugby team, as they were all for-

scenes work that all the teachers and staff mem-

mer university varsity athletes themselves. I wish

bers put forth has truly been eye-opening. I think

that all the current Mulgrave students realise that

one of the coolest parts of my current job is being

pursuing your athletic dreams at the next level is

able to get to know all the students and be able

definitely achievable. I hope that after my tenure at

to provide insight and leadership for their future

Mulgrave ends, I will be able to say that I provided

endeavors knowing that I went through exactly the

a quality experience and guidance for the Mulgrave

same process 5-10 years earlier. Everyday I wake up

student athletes of today and tomorrow. Mulgrave

and have a sense of excitement and eagerness while

has certainly changed a lot since I graduated in

driving to work, and I know not everyone in the

2012, and I love being able to have the chance to

world has that luxury. I have always had a strong

give back to the school that has given me more

interest in coaching, but my current position at

than I could ever imagine.

Mulgrave has enabled me to get an understanding of what it’s like to become a teacher, and it’s something I am definitely interested in.

What is the biggest decision you have to make in the next year?

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Shout outs to… (anyone you’d like to thank or

love of teaching. Whichever path Kevin takes, we

share your appreciation for?)

are sure he will give his all, and we will support him throughout!

My core group of friends since Grade 8: Eric Bleim, Sam Griffiths, Luke Allard, George Collister, Sean Bromley and Nick Pallone. We all played together on nearly every sports team at Mulgrave and even though none of them went to Western, we would all always make an effort to visit each other’s universities throughout Eastern Canada. It’s awesome that all of us have now moved back to Vancouver, and we still make time to hang out and play sports together (golf, pick-up basketball, touch rugby leagues, etc.)

I am forever grateful to have friends that support and push me to be the greatest, and I would not be where I am today without them!

Kevin has been an integral part of the Mulgrave community. It has been a pleasure to witness his dedication and passion for sports and newfound

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