Natural History of Coach Doug (White) - PART I

My rowing coach, Doug White, also known as Doug-ee, Big D, Coffee machine, and my personal favorite; Doug the running machine. He is a well-versed rowing coach with international Experience. If I had to describe him as a fruit, I would have to suggest a mango; has a lot to offer with a tough outer skin with a sweet succulent meat inside next to a hard-inedible pit.

From the limited conversations with him over the past year, I have pieced together a natural history. Born in 1947, he traveled quite often as a child of Military parents. Spending a few years through high-school in Victoria, BC and Grimsby, ON, the former where he tells people he is from. He rowed at UVic back in the days of UBC winning the Olympics medals in 1960's, Uvic only had a minimal program at best. As a coach-athlete he kept the team motivated and sticking out the year to build up excitement for future teams. One story he recounted was the years when he rowed, Elk Lake was so pristine and clear that if the athletes needed a drink they would just take a sip from the lake. With current lake levels of giardia and coliform bacteria, I regret to say we do not partake in that activity anymore. I do not know of his personal endevours and success with being an athlete; but he brings the pursuit of excellence to coaching. When he graduated from UVic he took on a few Union type jobs. A one time BC Ferries worker he found a niche in the Provincial Government with a 10 years+ job until he could no longer handle the beurocracy and union-worker mentality. He reports of a story of him challenging a top Manager on skirting the issues and caving under pressure but, in the end, nothing came through, and the whistleblower was swept under the exit-doormat for an unexpected "change of career."


See Coach Doug Part II