With the COVID-19 pandemic ending the 2019-20 sports season prematurely, GoThunderbirds.ca will be celebrating senior athletes whose UBC careers came to an early conclusion. The full list of tributes is listed at the Senior Spotlight 2020 page.
Name: Michael Smith
Hometown: Surrey, B.C.
High School: Earl Marriott Secondary
Athletic accomplishments:
Two-time Canadian University men's rugby champion (2017 and 2018)
Two-time Wightman Boot winner
Three-time World Cup series champion over the University of California Golden Bears
2019-20 UBC Men's Rugby captain
Rugby Canada Under-20 national team alternate captain
2020 Bobby Gaul Memorial Trophy winner as UBC Graduating Male Athlete of the Year
Clubs/organizations:
2019-20 Thunderbird Athletes Council (TAC) President, previously served as TAC men's rugby representative and finance executive
UBC Hospital Extended Care volunteer - 195 hours
President, Residence Hall Association (RHA) Orchard Commons House
Academic honours/awards:
Academic All-Canadian (2017-20) and Dean's Honour List
2018-19 UBC Wesbrook Scholar and Sherwood Lett Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Degree:
Bachelor of Science in
Pharmacology
Plans after graduation:
Canadian national men's rugby team
Applying for medical school
What are your favourite memories of your time as a Thunderbird?
2017 Big Block Awards where men's rugby was named team of the year (winner of du Vivier Trophy)
Last year's trips to Tokyo, Montreal, and San Francisco
Winning the World Cup series against the University of California for the third time in a row
What are your favourite non-sports memories of UBC?
Moving into UBC residence in first year.
What would you like to say about head coach Curry Hitchborn?
Curry doesn't just want to make you a better player, he wants to make you a better person by being more self-aware. He makes you think about the decisions you make so you come up with solutions that are your own. Our game play never felt like playing to a script. It was more fun and more natural, and we won games because of it. Thinking about the game is just as important as playing it. He also begins sentences with 'Simply put..' a lot.
Photo by Rich Lam/UBC Thunderbirds
Head coach Curry Hitchborn on Smith:
Michael had maintained a high level of excellence in his four years here. He has consistently shown that he can represent UBC on and off the field, in his community, academics and lifestyle. As the captain of UBC men's rugby, his leadership has been a major contributing factor to the success of the program.
How have you benefited from being a student-athlete at UBC?
Being a student-athlete has allowed me to continue to play the sport I love (rugby) at an elite level, set myself apart from other students in scholarship and career opportunities, and experience the #birds4birds varsity athlete community by meeting other like-minded and driven varsity athletes.
Who are the people you want to thank as your biggest supporters?
My UBC alum parents, and grandparents
Everyone at UBC Rugby, particularly Curry, Bruce, Didier, Brock, Alex, Nika, Larissa, Lisa, Ben, Jon, Joe
All of the UBC Rugby alumni and donors, particularly Gerald McGavin, Peter Bull, the Carsons, and many others!
Mrs. Mary Plant
The late Dave Brown
Photo by Rich Lam/UBC Thunderbirds
What is your favourite restaurant/place to eat at on campus?
Uncle Fatih's
Jamjar
Orchard Commons Open Kitchen
What is your favourite study spot on campus?
The third floor of Woodward Library
What has been the impact of the financial support you've received during your time as a UBC Thunderbird?
It's been fundamental in allowing me to live on campus and not have to work during the school year, which has allowed me to graduate in four years and make every practice as well as meet new people and enjoy what UBC has to offer.
What does the support of donors and alumni mean to you as a student-athlete?
It is inspiring to see their support for both elite athletics and world-class university education that will help make us student-athletes exceptional leaders in our communities. It is so inspiring that we would be more than willing to give back as alumni ourselves for the next generation to continue to support student-athletes.
UBC Athletics thanks Michael Smith for being a Thunderbird, and wishes him the best in his future endeavours.
