McGill's athletics department received the green light from the institution's leadership and the competition began on Tuesday.
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Although the situation was urgent, the athletics department was unable to move forward due to a hiring freeze ordered by management. After ten years with the Redbirds, nine of them as head coach, Ronald Hilaire was fired on December 1st.
“We got the green light on Tuesday morning,” confirmed Daniel Méthot, Redbirds and Martlets program manager. In response to rising tuition fees for students from other parts of Canada, the slump is still in effect and it was necessary to demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt that the position was essential to the smooth functioning of the team.”
“We are very happy and very relieved,” Méthot added. We would have liked to have gotten the green light much sooner, but it will happen quickly. The competition ends on January 24th and the selection committee can begin its work. Hiring the new coach will take two to three weeks.”
Méthot assures that despite the repeated failures over the last two decades, interest is high. “McGill still has the ability to attract people,” he said. There are high-profile coaches interested in coaching in the collegiate ranks who are interested in McGill. Reconstruction work needs to be done and we need a good contractor and a good manager.”
Recruiting in slow motion
Since there are only four coaches left in office, the Redbirds' recruitment is going rather quietly, but according to Méthot there is no wave of departures. “I am responsible for the transfers and no people have come to my office. We don't commit anyone and there are no mass departures. The players are waiting for our positioning.
Even before the Celsius group presented its findings, Méthot was fully aware that McGill needed to do a better job at recruiting. “We need to reach out to student-athletes who have the McGill profile much earlier and not miss them. We are committed to ensuring that the university reacts more quickly. Has McGill done everything possible in the last 20 years? One thing is certain: the model needs to be revised.
McGill's admissions criteria for restricted degree programs such as medicine, law and engineering remain unchanged. “With an average of 94 percent in some programs, the pool of athletes is shrinking. This is a unique challenge for Canada, but it is not an excuse. However, we have adapted certain programs in the Faculty of Arts so that students who had difficulties with CEGEP can be admitted under certain conditions, in particular maintaining an average of 3.2 out of 4 in the first year. This program was started five years ago and we have never lost a student. We are very proud.”