Barney Williams, who came out of the University of Victoria rowing program to win a silver medal with the Canadian four at the 2004 Athens Olympics, has come full circle back to Ring Road.
The 41-year-old Williams, previously the women’s interim head coach in NCAA Div. 1 at Cornell, was announced Tuesday as the new head coach of the UVic Vikes women’s team.
Williams replaces the long-serving Rick Crawley, who retired in the spring after producing 29 Olympians, including several medallists, and 11 Canadian university team championships in his 35 years of coaching the UVic women’s rowing team.
Among Crawley’s athletes was Williams’ wife, Buffy Alexander, an Olympic medallist and two-time UVic female athlete of the year. The couple have three young children.
“Luckily, I have big feet because [Crawley] left big shoes to fill,” Williams said.
“I am looking forward to continuing the tradition of excellence that Rick put tireless time and energy into. I am taking an incredibly solid foundation and aiming to capitalize on opportunities for student-athletes moving forward. This is a hugely exciting opportunity.”
Williams competed for the UVic men’s team from 1995 to 1999 and was later assistant coach of the UVic men’s squad for five years.
He also coached in the Row to Podium national team program.
Williams earned his post-graduate business degree from Oxford, and was also the Oxford Boat Club president.
He twice helped row the Blues to the Boat Race title against Cambridge in 2005 and 2006 in the fabled race on the Thames.
“Mastery knows no shortcuts. That is a mantra that must be embraced [by his Vikes rowers],” Williams said.
“Miles make champions. Medals are earned in the winter and won in the summer.”
Williams seems like a natural fit for the Vikes position.
“We conducted a very thorough national search with several high-quality candidates,” UVic athletic director Clint Hamilton said. “It’s terrific when we can draw on our alumni in a hiring like this.”
Williams assumes his position immediately.
