Jim Martin – May 24, 1949 – May 9, 2011
Born and raised in North Vancouver, Jim graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of British Columbia before beginning his teaching and coaching career at Delbrook secondary in 1974. Jim went on to work at North Vancouver (’74-’79) and Hamilton (’79-’82) secondary schools, but he is perhaps best known for his time at Carson Graham secondary (’82-’99), where he was a fixture in the athletics department. Besides Physical Education, he taught Industrial Education, English and Social Studies and worked in the library and counseling departments, but his true area of expertise was inspiring and nurturing kids both on and off the field.
He mentored and coached for community, club and school teams in sports such as rugby, basketball, volleyball, track and field and soccer, and along with co-coach Doug Barker helped the Carson Graham Eagles win their first-ever senior boys provincial rugby championship in 1996, beginning a legacy of rugby excellence that continues at the school to this day.
In 1999 Jim was appointed District Coordinator of Athletics for the North Shore Secondary Schools Athletics Association, where he oversaw myriad competitive sports programs for thousands of students at 14 schools across North and West Vancouver until his retirement in 2007.
Jim played softball for the North Shore Iguanas and Big Bird Sound and rugby for the North Shore All-Blacks and the Capilano Rugby Football Club, where he was a welcoming and familiar face for decades. In his spare time, Jim enjoyed “Dads and Lads” camping trips with his boys, backyard fishing derbies in Lynn Valley, “gentlemen’s lunches” and smokers with Ray, Murray, Paul and Rob, as well as the close relationships he maintained with friends, former colleagues and students and family.
“Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”