Callum Gibbins Named Men's Rugby Head Coach
The Conestoga Condors are proud to announce Callum Gibbins as the new head coach of the men’s rugby program! A veteran of professional international rugby and a passionate coach, Gibbins brings elite experience and a grounded, player-first philosophy to the team.
Originally from New Zealand, Gibbins’ playing career has taken him around the globe, from playing in the New Zealand National Provincial Championship rugby league with the Manawatu Turbos to the Super Rugby league with the Hurricanes, and later overseas to the Glasgow Warriors of the United Rugby Championship league and Old Glory DC of Major League Rugby. “Rugby’s taken me all over the world,” he said. “But I’ve always loved being part of a team environment and working with motivated people who share a common goal.”
Now settled in Kitchener, Gibbins said his return to coaching was a natural step after some time off. “When I moved here, I realized that I do miss being involved in a team environment, and learning, and coaching, and contributing to something meaningful,” he shared.
After connecting with former head coach Josh Van Horne and learning more about the Condors program, Gibbins said, “It’s a great opportunity to step into an environment that’s well supported by the college. I’m excited to be part of something that’s already on a strong path.”
When asked about his coaching style, Gibbins emphasized, “I don’t think you can get the best out of your players if they’re not being themselves fully. I want to provide an environment where someone can fully do that… and I believe that helps the athlete perform at their best in a rugby sense.”
He added, “Rugby is such a complicated game and I really like trying to simplify it, so guys can just go out there and do their one thing that they need to do and be successful, rather than overthinking everything.”
Gibbins hopes to shape a high-performance culture tailored to student-athletes. “I want to provide an environment that’s something guys really want to be part of, but also have it as close to a professional high-performance environment as possible — without overburdening the student athletes,” he said. “I like to base things more on team performance and how we operate as a group, rather than just wins.”
Looking ahead to his first season, Gibbins is eager to get to work. “I want to get in there, meet everyone, start talking about how we want to play… and if we get the small details right, we’ll put ourselves in a position to be successful this season,” he said.
He’s also optimistic about what Conestoga can become in the Canadian rugby landscape. “I came from a small school in New Zealand myself, and I genuinely think Conestoga can be a platform that propels players to the next level as well, if they want that.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome Callum to the Condors,” said Andrew Bates, Director of Sport & Recreation. “His international experience and passion for developing players both on and off the field make him a tremendous addition to our program. We’re excited to see the positive impact he’ll have on our student-athletes and the continued growth of men’s rugby at Conestoga.”
With the team coming off the best season in program history, culminating in an OCAA silver medal, expectations are high but under Gibbins’ leadership, the Condors are poised to build on that success and continue their rise as a competitive force in the OCAA.
Welcome coach Gibbins!
#StrivingToSoar