Disclaimer: This article was written by Brady Chapman, a student-athlete on the STU men’s soccer team. This is part of an ongoing partnership with JOUR 2033: Local Reporting, Global Media.
St. Thomas University’s men’s soccer team head coach John-Ryan Morrison has announced he will retire at the end of the 2024 season.
During his 10 years as head coach of the Tommies, he has led the team to eight playoff appearances, two Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) championships and a berth in the 2018 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) national championship, marking the program’s first trip to the competition in 19 years. He has also received three Coach of the Year awards, most recently in 2023.
But as much as Coach Morrison loves award nights, it’s not only about winning.
“I think of it as a program win just as much as a personal win,” he said. “We have created a team culture where academics matter and when I hear them push each other to reach that academic standard, it is a huge coaching win, maybe my biggest one to date.”
Morrison said he’s proud of his 10 years building what he believes is one of the best university soccer programs in the country, with more CCAA academic all-Canadians and CCAA national scholars than any other men’s soccer team.
He requires players to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA to play, something few other programs do, but he doesn’t mind that he’s not like other coaches or that STU’s not like other programs.
“If you accept the bare minimum effort now, you’ll accept it the rest of your life and that’s not want I want for these guys.”
Morrison doesn’t deny that he’s a very competitive coach, but he says that’s based on his faith in his athletes and his responsibility to hold them accountable and develop each athlete into an exceptional individual.
“I want us to win everything we can and that doesn’t stop when we leave the pitch. I am responsible for these 24 young men. They have put their faith in me. I take that responsibility seriously.”
Playing soccer is a family tradition, with both he and his siblings playing for the University of New Brunswick.
“I guess [UNB men’s soccer coach] Barry Morrison would be the guy that I’ve asked for advice because we grew up together and we both would be considered like Mr. Soccer. So, most people think we’re brothers until they see us.”
Off the field, Morrison has a demanding schedule balancing his soccer schedule and his full-time job as executive director of the New Brunswick Construction Association.
“Just time management. I work, you know, I leave the field in the morning, come work all day, leave work, go back to the field. Yeah, there’s not much time.”
The coach says he is looking forward to being able to relax and enjoy himself at his chalet on Crabbe Mountain after his final season is done. But he’s looking to go out with a bang, with STU hosting the 2024 CCAA Men’s Soccer National Championship in early November at the Grant-Harvey turf field.
“Yeah, there’s not much me time for sure. Over the last 11 years and that’s something I’m looking forward to after this season.”
