‘A top-notch person’
Former CBU soccer coach Robbie Chiasson remembered as family man and influential sports mentor
Robbie Chiasson is being remembered as a caring family man and influential mentor to the many athletes he coached over the years.
The 49-year-old married father of three died early Sunday following an all-terrain vehicle accident in his hometown of New Waterford. He is survived by wife Amanda and children Conor, Catie and Justin.
The passing of Chiasson, who taught physical education at Greenfield Elementary School, has left family, friends and students, and a couple of generations of athletes, reeling.
Lifetime friend Vernon O’Quinn grew up near Chiasson in New Waterford. Thanks to their love of sports, they developed a friendship that would continue through adulthood and include their respective families. When Chiasson was hired as the head coach of the Cape Breton Uni- versity Capers men’s soccer team in 2003, he immediately called O’Quinn to be the team’s goaltending coach.
“We grew up a road apart — he was a bit older than me but because of our sports connection we became great friends, he spent a lot of time at my home growing up and he was the one person in my neighbourhood that I idolized and tried to be like,” said O’Quinn, who remained on the Capers coaching staff following Chiasson’s resignation from the program four years ago.
“Robbie and I just spent a lot of time together, he had an infectious smile and an infectious personality, you didn’t have to know Robbie too long to know that he was a guy you liked and a guy you liked to be around — he’s a winner, not just on the sports field, but in life, he had a winning attitude.”
Deano Morley, who played for Chiasson before succeeding him as Capers head coach in 2014, said his late friend was one of the good guys.
“He’s had a profound impact on my life and I feel like I’ve lost a best friend and a brother,” said Morley, who coached the Capers to the 2017 national championship.
“I know I can speak on behalf of many former CBU players in saying that he empowered our lives in such a great way and that many of us wouldn’t be where we are today without him and without him believing in us and giving us an opportunity and the belief to go on and do things with our lives.”
In fact, when the Capers won the national title last November, Chiasson was the first person that O’Quinn and Morley called when their squad captured the championship after a 3-2 shootout victory over the Montreal Carabins.
“We remained in constant contact — he’s my mentor and part of my support system, we’re very proud of what we’ve built here at CBU and he’s the reason it was built,” said Morley, an Englishman who was recruited to the CBU soccer program by Chiasson.
“He’s been instrumental in the growth and development of the game of soccer and sports throughout Cape Breton and he’s touched hundreds of lives in such a wonderful way spreading the game.”
John Ryan, CBU’s director of athletics and student life, said Chiasson will be sadly missed.
“First and foremost, he was a top-notch person and a great father and husband who put his family first,” said Ryan.
“What he did as the soccer coach in our CBU program was second to none - Robbie had an outstanding influence on the game of soccer on Cape Breton Island, in our conference and across the country.”
During his 11 years as CBU head coach, Chiasson guided the Capers to a 64-38-34 overall record that included AUS championships in 2007, 2009 and 2012. He was named AUS coach of the year in 2003 and 2006.
When he stepped down from his CBU coaching duties in 2014, Chiasson told the Cape Breton Post he was doing so to spend more quality time with his own family that included three young children.
“To run a successful program at this level requires a huge time commitment both in and
out of season,” Chiasson said at the time. “My children are at an age now where they are involved in many sports and activities. I have missed many of their soccer games over the years, and as much as I enjoy coaching at CBU, I feel my time will be better spent watching them play from now on.”
On Monday, grief counsellors
were on site at Greenfield Elementary to help both staff and students deal with the loss of the popular and wellrespected teacher.
“We had some of our grief counsellors meet with school staff on Sunday afternoon to prepare them for Monday,” said Cathy Viva, programs and student services director
with the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional Centre of Education.
“The staff have lost one of their own and we have to make sure they are strong for the students and ultimately we want to make sure that the support our students need is in place.”
Viva said the counsellors have no time-frame and will
stay at the school until their services are no longer required.
Meanwhile, the Cape Breton Regional Police Service has not released any details about the accident other than to confirm it took place on James Street in New Waterford around 4 a.m. on Sunday.