“He made them feel important,”
Those are the words of UNBC Athletic Director Loralyn Murdoch when describing the contributions of Tom Masich.
The local sports legend passed away last Sunday at the age of 86.
While Masich is best-known for his roots in track and field, he had a lasting impact on varsity athletics, most notably the women’s basketball program at UNBC.
Murdoch coached the T-Wolves to BCCAA Provincial Championships in 2008 and 2012 and was first told about Masich by fellow colleague Ken Shields, suggesting he would help them run better.
While Murdoch admits the addition of Masich did lead to better results on the court, it was what he did on non-game days that provided the biggest impact.
“It wasn’t about having them run better or having them in better shape it was building a relationship, building friendships, and really hanging out with them and working their tails off without even knowing it.”
“He had a way with athletes and with people that I can only hope to mimic.”
Masich was viewed as a bit of a game-changer of sorts as most university athletic programs did not have a paid strength and conditioning coach until several years later.
“We were not in a position to have a paid specialized strength and conditioning coach or any of those kinds of perks Canada West and U-Sport athletes have today. Really, we were doing everything we could on our own, and having someone like Tom come in and volunteer his time took us to a new level.”
“He made them feel important, he made them feel like individuals praising those for all of the little positive outcomes that they got. They were not compared to one another and they always had some sort of success,” added Murdoch.
In February of 2020, UNBC held a special ceremony at the Northern Sports Centre for Masich recognizing his contributions to the athletics department.
Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall agreed with many of Murdoch’s sentiments stating Masich was a trailblazer, setting an example most young coaches in our city should attempt to strive for.
“He really did set the bar when it came to his commitment. He set the bar high for everyone else and to strive for it.”
“His passion for track and field and his passion for making things much better for young kids in the community goes a long, long way in really making the city what it is today. I remember when we did the name change from Massey Place to Masich Place – it was so appropriate as it recognized someone that was an integral part not just in Prince George Track and Field but also an integral part of that facility.”
Brian Martinson, knew Masich for over 50 years and who was also an integral part of the PG Track and Field Club stated several events like the PG-Boston Marathon (now known as the Labour Day Classic) wouldn’t be here today without Tom.
“He brought some world-class events here. We had a pre-Commonwealth Games meet where we had the best athletes in Canada and from around the world come here as a warm-up meet. He really brought some big events here.”
The Timberwolves are set to honour Masich prior to their men’s and women’s soccer doubleheader tonight at Masich Place Stadium.
The UNBC men take on the Saskatchewan Huskies at 5 pm while the Timberwolves women’s program kicks off a battle against the UBC Thunderbirds at 7:15.
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