Mike Bartram

Coach Mike Bartram

Mike Bartram came to Canada from England in 1972, moving to Kamloops in 1973 to work at Lafarge as the electrical and systems supervisor. He and his wife, Charmaine, raised their three daugters, Karen, Sadie, and Haley here.

A thoroughly dedicated and energetic coach, he coached the Kamloops Men's Teams to the BC Club Championships in the 1980s, then changed his focus when his daughters started to play soccer. Mike became involved with the Kamloops Youth Soccer Association, and as director, registrar, and coach of house and all-star teams, his priority was to promote girls' soccer in Kamloops.

In the mid-1990s, he became an organizer and coach in the women's league. Throughout these years, he was also involved with the Kamloops Referees Association as president and as a referee. He was also an instructor of level 1 and 2 technical soccer clinics during this period. A soccer player himself throughout his life, he spent his last few years of play in the Kamloops Old-Timers League.

Mike first coached UCC for the men's team in 1981. He returned in 1987 to coach the women's team for one year, and then again from 1991 to 1999, during which time he also coached a Pacific Coast League women's team, the UCC Alumni, from 1997 to 1999. As the Sun Demons women's soccer team coach, he led his team to four provincial silver medals, three national silvers, and a provincial and national gold in 1999. He was honoured three times by the Canadian Colleges Athletics Association as national Coach of the Year, and the BC Colleges Athletics Association Fair Play Award for men's and women's soccer was named in his honour. In 2001, he was inducted into the Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame.

Three endowment funds have been established in Mike's name. The Mike Bartram Friendship Award, established by his friends, is awarded annualy to a male student participating on the TRU men's soccer team; the Mike Bartram / Lafarge Scholarship Fund, established by Lafarge Canada Kamloops, is awarded annually to a female student who participates on the TRU women's soccer team; and the Mike Bartram / Kamloops Blazers Award, established by the Kamloops Blazers Sports Foundation, is awarded annually to a female student who participates on the TRU women's soccer team. All three awards require the award winners to demonstrate leadership and an excellent work ethic and be a proven team player with outstanding character, attributes that Mike demonstrated, and that he inspired in his players.

Mike Bartram's spirit of fair play, honourable conduct, best performance, and teamwork continue to serve as an inspiration to athletes, students, coaches and staff at Thompson Rivers University and throughout the Canadian Colleges Athletics Association.

If you have any questions at all, please contact TRU Athletics directly at
E-mail: jshephard@tru.ca or (250) 828-5270.