THUNDER BAY – At the end of this competitive season, Eric Bailey will retire from his position as Head Coach of the National Development Centre in Thunder Bay. Eric has served as Head Coach for the past 8 years and has led the team to some of its most productive seasons in the organizations history. He has been an invaluable leader and has played a large part in many of the centre’s most recent successes including last year when the team qualified 3 of its members for World Championship teams and 6 of its members to the Canada Winter Games.
Director of High Performance for Cross Country Canada, Thomas Holland stated, “Eric has worked productively over several years to transform the T-Bay NDC into a credible program as was witnessed by the performance achievements in the 2010-11 season. Eric has done this by believing in the program, learning from experience, patience and getting the most out of minimal resources. Eric has been an exemplary athlete advocate with an exceptional passion for developing our athletes and our sport.”
This choice for Eric comes after much personal deliberation. “This has been a very difficult decision for me. Coaching at NDC in Thunder Bay has been such a tremendous part of my life. I have worked with so many amazing athletes over the years; people that never cease to amaze me; people that have inspired me daily and motivate me to match their efforts in our combined pursuit of excellence. I hope that I have served the system well and that all the athletes I have worked with feel as good as I do about our efforts and accomplishments. “
Business will run as usual with the centre until the end of the current racing season. NDC-Thunder Bay is committed to replacing Eric with a strong, qualified, passionate Head Coach who will build on Eric’s successes as the team moves forward. Immediate search for his replacement is underway.