SCARBOROUGH, ONTARIO - Manager of Athletics and Recreation Darcy Brioux announced earlier this week that the Centennial Colts hired Phil Tungate MS, CSCS*D, as the New Varsity Badminton Coach.
Coach Tungate brings a breadth of experience to the Colts, a team coming off a CCAA Men's National Singles Title and OCAA Men's Team Provincial Title. Before joining Colts Athletics, he was the Head Coach for the Guelph Gryphons and Queen's Gaels. In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Coach Tungate has a strong academic background. He holds a Master's Degree in Exercise Science and is a certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist. He has coached in National competitions for Badminton, Olympic Weightlifting, and Powerlifting, and has a wealth of experience in the Strength and Conditioning space with a variety of other Varsity sports.
Before his hire, Tungate already had a connection to the Colts. He was a Jr Badminton Coach under Coach Jolyon Thompson in Port Hope, where he grew up, and was the Head Coach for Kyle Thompson - Coach Thompson's son - at Guelph.
"With the Colts coming off a national title, our goal is to continue their success under our new varsity badminton coach, Phil Tungate. With his years of experience and passion for the sport, we are confident he will uphold and build on our championship culture."
"We are fortunate to find another extraordinary person to join our team and lead our student-athletes. The Colts look forward to seeing Coach Tungate build on Coach Thompson's Legacy." says Darcy Brioux."
With National Singles Champion Colin Zhou and National Bronze Medalist Dave Vishal returning to the Colts next season, Coach Tungate has a solid nucleus to build around, with the women's side of the team needing an injection of top-level talent. "Phil comes to us as one of the best young badminton coaching minds in the province. He's got the talent, the local network, and a strong athletic performance background to help build the Colts Badminton program into a powerhouse for years to come," says Brioux.
"I'm thankful to have this opportunity to take over the program that was cherished and grown by the man who started my love for this sport. The Colts family has already been so welcoming, and I can't wait to start working with our student-athletes," says Tungate. He continues, "This team already has a national title under their belt, but there is always room for the individuals to grow."
"I've been fortunate to have coached at two fantastic schools earlier in my career and Centennial is another great institution I am thrilled to call home. I've heard great things about the department and program from friends and colleagues in the badminton community."
"With my connection to the program Coach Thompson grew and the talent already on the roster, it was an easy decision for me to accept the role when Darcy gave me the call."
With a Head Coach in place, Colts Badminton will start training and recruiting for the upcoming season as they look to add more hardware to their resumes.
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