Todd Martin

Todd began playing volleyball at Prince of Wales Collegiate, working under Coach Graham Horwood. In his final year of high school, PWC took the A High School Championships (Now 4A) in Grand Falls. Later, he also continued to play as part of a MUN Junior team, still under Graham Horwood as well as Venice Pizzeria and the legendary Razorbacks team.

Right out of high school, Todd began refereeing in the St. John’s high school leagues as well as starting to coach Juvenile Girls with the ONCA Club. Shortly afterwards, Todd joined the NVA Executive Committee as Secretary. He has fond memories of that first AGM in the spring of 1978.

In 1982 Todd was hired as the first full time staff person for the Provincial Volleyball Association. As Program Coordinator he was responsible for all administrative as well as technical work of the Association. Each year he improved his own skills in coaching and officiating and those things were shared throughout the province wherever he went. Leaving the NLVA in 1989, he was a National Level Referee and a Level 3 Coach. During those years, the Association also made great strides as well. The number of Provincial Championships as well as the number of teams participating more than doubled.

After changing careers it wasn’t long before Todd was elected to a position on the NLVA Executive again, taking on the position of Volleyball Canada Director in 1990. He held this position until 1995 when he was elected President of the NLVA. He stayed in this position until 1998, when he was elected Vice President of Volleyball Canada.

Todd coached MUN Varsity teams on several occasions leading the men in 1988-9 as well as working with the women’s team from 1994 – 2001, including two years as Head coach. The other years he was assistant coach to Karen Murphy. This stint saw the team crowned as AUS Champions in 1999-2000.

Todd is proud of the fact that he has coached and refereed in every province in Canada with one small omission. He is hoping to soon referee in PEI to complete an outstanding achievement, spanning more than 35 years. At the Canada Games level he was Head Coach for the 1989 Boys Team in Saskatoon, SK and assistant coach for the 1993 Girls Team in Kamloops, BC. In 1985 he refereed at the Canada Games in St. John, NB.

Locally, Todd Chaired the Organizing Committee for the 1992 National Juvenile Championships, worked on several other National Championships in different roles. He was second referee in 1988 when Team Canada twice played the Hyundai team from Korea and in 1989 in Gander when Team Canada Men took on the Lokomotive team from the USSR.

While serving with Volleyball Canada Todd was appointed Technical Delegate for the 2000 World Junior Female Championships in Edmonton, was Technical Chair for two World League matches in Moncton and accompanied the National Men’s Team to the Americas Cup in Argentina. During that tournament he was appointed Technical Chair for four matches, including one between Cuba and Brazil, ranked number two and three in the world at the time. He was also the Canadian Representative at the NORCECA Meetings in 2001 in Monterrey, Mexico.

Todd’s fondest memories have always been of the friendships he has made in his travels throughout the province, whether he was coaching, refereeing or conducting player camps or clinics in whatever was required. Very few corners of the island or Labrador have not experienced his pleasant demeanor or gained from him sharing his knowledge.

Todd has also had a small influence with most of the major sports in the province as he worked as Games Coordinator for five different communities during the 1990s. In each of those communities he was always involved with helping the local volleyball teams. He also worked as Manager for Sport Newfoundland and Labrador from 2000 – 2005.