Ron Thomson: A Legacy Worth Celebrating

“Now kids know they can be as good as anyone in the country. That confidence has completely changed over 30 years of being around volleyball in Grande Prairie.”

For more than 3 decades, Ron Thomson has helped shape volleyball in Grande Prairie, building championship teams and inspiring generations of athletes to believe in their potential.

On November 14, Northwestern Polytechnic will celebrate his remarkable contributions to the sport by inducting him into the Wolves Hall of Fame.

With more than 500 competitive wins, 5 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Volleyball Coach of the Year honours, 2 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Coaching Excellence awards, and a place in Volleyball Alberta's Hall of Fame, Ron has plenty to celebrate. But his greatest source of pride extends beyond the wins and awards.

From Player To Coach

Ron's connection to Wolves Volleyball began in 1982 when he arrived at Grande Prairie Regional College to study physical education and play for the Wolves. He spent 2.5 years with the program before joining the University of Alberta Golden Bears while completing his degree. Along the way, a coaching course with Leigh Goldie offered an early introduction to the profession that would eventually define his career.

His transition from player to coach took him through several opportunities, including assistant coaching roles with the University of Alberta Bears and Pandas, the Jasper Volleyball Camp, and a position as technical director with the Alberta Volleyball Association. He also gained experience with Canada's Youth Men's National Team and the Grant MacEwan Griffins, helping lead the latter to a 5th place finish at nationals.

Working alongside provincial and national volleyball leaders gave Ron a broader perspective on what athletes and programs could achieve.

“I really, really wanted to be a coach at that point,” Ron recalls.

When Leigh Goldie called in the summer of 1991, Ron was ready to return to Grande Prairie. What followed was a remarkable coaching career with the Wolves, including 12 years leading the men's volleyball program (1991–2002) and 6 years with the women's team (2008–2013).

During his tenure, the men's teams earned 8 ACAC and 4 CCAA medals, while the women's teams added 4 ACAC and one CCAA medal.

“It’s not all about winning, but it validates the process,” Ron muses, looking back at those results. “It’s a way to prove to the kids we can achieve good things. And as a coach, they were feathers in your cap. It helped recruit athletes by showing you had a legitimate program.”

Helping Athletes Believe In Themselves

For Ron, some of the most meaningful achievements happened away from the scoreboard.

During his early years coaching the Wolves, he completed a Master of Education in Coaching Studies at the University of Victoria, an experience that challenged his self-perception.

“I always thought I was just an average student,” he recalls. “When I got into the master’s program, it was an aha moment. I loved it. It was such a great journey in making me grow as a coach.”

That experience of discovering his own potential was something Ron understood well.

Growing up in Chetwynd, B.C., he had excelled at volleyball and helped win a provincial high school championship. Yet even with that success, he struggled to see himself competing at the university level.

“I was one of those kids,” he explains. “It took me forever to believe I could be a volleyball player at the university level.”

When Ron began coaching in Grande Prairie, he recognized that same uncertainty in many of his athletes. They were hardworking, talented players from smaller communities, but he believed they had yet to recognize what they could achieve.

“I thought, they don’t know how good they can be,” he remembers. “That lived with me and still does. Coming from small towns, they didn’t have the belief they could be that good.”

Ron was determined to help change that mindset. His experience working with provincial and national programs had shown him what was possible when talented athletes received the right opportunities, coaching, and encouragement.

“I spent time with national programs, seeing elite coaches and athletes,” he remembers. “I saw there was a whole new world out there.”

He brought that perspective back to Grande Prairie, challenging his players to embrace new approaches and believe they could compete with the best.

A Coach Who Never Stopped Learning

While Ron's coaching career brought considerable success, it also gave him opportunities to reflect on his own approach to leadership.

“I’m so happy that the world of coaching is changing. I do things a lot differently than in the past,” he reflects.

One of those turning points came when he coached his teenage daughter's volleyball team.

“I learned to do things differently. I really had to reshape myself.”

Ron appreciates how coaching continues to evolve and values the lessons he's learned from the athletes and people around him.

That willingness to grow is also part of what made his years with the Wolves so rewarding.

“Grande Prairie has been good to me,” Ron says when asked about his fondest memories of NWP.

His coaching career helped establish deep roots in the community, and he looks back fondly on the people and experiences that shaped those years.

“I loved my world and loved the people I worked with,” he says. “I was always learning new things. And every year brought a new group of athletes and new challenges. It never got stale.”

Ron is also quick to acknowledge those who helped build the Wolves Volleyball program before him, along with the support of his wife and family throughout the demanding years of coaching.

His children have influenced his perspective as well. His daughter now teaches and coaches in Brandon, Manitoba, while his son, Liam, is building his career in Vancouver.

A Legacy That Continues

As November 14 approaches, Ron sees his induction into the Wolves Hall of Fame as a meaningful milestone in a career that has spanned decades.

“This feels like a bit of a conclusion,” Ron says about his induction into the Wolves Hall of Fame. “It feels like a good way to wrap up my coaching story.”

But even as the Wolves prepare to celebrate his legacy, Ron remains connected to the game and the athletes he loves working with. He continues to assist Wolves Men's Volleyball Head Coach Lindsey Habib, sharing his experience with another generation of players.

“I feel I still have something to offer. It’s such a rewarding experience to help young athletes grow as volleyball players,” he notes. “I hope the kids learn that they can be great at whatever they do.”

Celebrate Ron Thomson's Legacy

Join Northwestern Polytechnic on November 14 as Ron Thomson is inducted into the Wolves Hall of Fame. Celebrate his contributions to volleyball, reconnect with the Wolfpack, and honour a coach who has helped shape generations of athletes.

For event details and tickets, visit NWP.me/CelebrateRon