Trevor Hirschfield excited about new role as wheelchair rugby head coach

PARKSVILLE, B.C. – As one of the world’s top wheelchair rugby players, Trevor Hirschfield knows it’s important to capitalize on your opportunities.

It appears that lesson will last beyond his playing days.

Hirschfield, 41, was named head coach of Canada’s national wheelchair rugby team last month thus concluding a brilliant playing career which included five Paralympic Games appearances.

“I hadn’t given much thought to the coaching position,” said Hirschfield, the head coach of B.C.’s provincial squad for the past several years.

“Until Patrick Côté (Canada’s previous longtime head coach) decided to move on and there was an opening, then my mind started thinking about the opportunity.

“I hadn’t told anyone about it because if I didn’t get the coaching job, I still wasn’t sure what I was going to do as an athlete.”

His long-time teammate Mike Whitehead, who recently retired from competition, says Hirschfield’s presence as head coach assures a great future for Canada.

‘’Trevor is a student of the sport,’’ Whitehead said. ‘’You can talk to him about three second play in a game for hours. He’s a wheelchair rugby nerd, he knows the game and he is a leader.’’

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Jackie Patatas, high performance director for Wheelchair Rugby Canada, says Hirschfield brings unmatched expertise to the role.

“At Wheelchair Rugby Canada, we value athlete transition to coaching, especially in Para sport, where experience is key,” said Patatas. “Trevor’s journey from player to coach is exciting for him and for the sport.

“His deep understanding of the game, his passion, and his dedication to wheelchair rugby as an athlete for many years make him the right person to lead Team Canada forward.”

As a player, Hirschfield won two Paralympic Games medals (bronze in 2008 and silver in 2012), gold at the 2015 Parapan Am Games in Toronto (as well as silver at the 2023 and 2019 Games), and two more world championship medals in 2006 and 2014.

Hirschfield was regarded as one of the best defensive players in the world, but was always good to sneak in a few scores each game as well. He was Canada’s co-captain alongside Patrice Dagenais.

“I really appreciated my time as a captain on the team,” said Hirschfield, father of two young children. “It was an honour to be trusted with that role and I didn’t take it lately. I thought it was a great responsibility.”

Hirschfield continues a trend in Canadian Para sport with athletes joining the coaching ranks after their playing days.

The legendary Brian McKeever is now head of the Canadian Para nordic skiing team, Greg Westlake and Steve Arsenault are assistant coaches with the national Para ice hockey squad, and Tara Llanes is now a coach on Canada’s NextGen women’s wheelchair basketball team.

“There’s really been an emphasis over the years from the national sport federations for athletes to take the Coaching Association of Canada courses and that’s what really opened the door for me provincially at first,” said Hirschfield, injured in a car accident at age 16.

“Encouraging athletes into coaching is great, whether it’s national team, provincial team or clubs. You don’t want to lose the years of experience from those athletes.”

Canada continues to maintain itself among the top teams in the world. The last Paralympic Games tournament in Paris was deemed too close to call beforehand with at least six countries serious medal threats. Canada ultimately finished sixth.

“We have veteran athletes who’ve been to Games, who can carry the momentum of this team, and keep it as one of the top in the world,” said Hirschfield. “That really opens a door for us to focus a lot on development. And those younger players will have a group that can really show them what it takes to be at the top level.

“When I first came in, I was just trying to learn as much from the veteran athletes as I could, and I really looked up to them.”

Hirschfield is now preparing for the new quadrennial’s first national team tryout set for later this month in Richmond, B.C. with about 30 players expected.

The first international tournament is expected to be at the end of May in Australia.