Former UVic Vikes men’s basketball head coach Craig Beaucamp has entered his first year as head coach with the Camosun Chargers men’s basketball team. Beaucamp will arrive at Camosun after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the University of the Pacific men’s basketball program in California. Before that, however, he served 21 seasons as head coach at UVic. Under his leadership the team compiled a 401-218 record, won five Canada West titles, and earned multiple U SPORTS championships—the highest level in Canadian amateur play.
Despite his extensive resume, Beaucamp says that he’s most excited about the opportunity to work with a new group of athletes and face new challenges. An advantage Beaucamp brings to the role, he says, is his familiarity with the local community. Having spent time coaching in Victoria, he already knows many of the Chargers’ players through the sport community, even having already coached some of the players.
“I’ve known most of the players from my own cases,” he says. “Just from being in Victoria for 20-plus years.”
Beaucamp says that, for him, success starts with connection rather than tactics.
“The biggest thing is having relationships with the players,” he says. “I think coaching is similar to parenting. Ultimately, your students know that you truly have their best [interests] in mind… and they believe that you care about them and their well-being.”
He emphasizes a holistic approach that focuses on support both on and off the court.
“They’re athletes, but they’re also students and members of our community,” he says.
This ethos resonated with Camosun Chargers fourth-year guard Jakob Neufeld, who says that Beaucamp’s personal approach is partially what made him stand out during the hiring process.
“I really appreciate when coaches look out for your well-being both on and off the court, not just in basketball,” says Neufeld. “One of the things I looked for in his interview was the more personal approach to coaching rather than just the basketball side of it. Helping us be good people instead of just good basketball players.”
Beaucamp believes that effective coaching is less about creating motivation and more about helping athletes develop qualities they already possess.
“Ultimately, you’re trying to draw upon something that they already have,” he says. “If you have to create that, it is tough.”
The Chargers have been in a period of transition, as Beaucamp becomes the team’s third head coach in three years following the departure of their previous head coach, Jake Wilmott.
“The boys were pretty sad when Jake got a new job, because we had such a good year both on and off the court with him,” says Neufeld. “The hire of Craig was best-case scenario and we got super lucky.”
Despite the coaching change, Neufeld expects the team’s culture and style of play to remain consistent.
“We have a system,” he says. “With Craig it’s a similar philosophy in terms of basketball and team culture, I think it’ll carry over pretty seamlessly.”
Though Beaucamp is entering a new league with a new coaching staff and new set of challenges, his reputation and experience have already inspired confidence within the program.
“We’ve already had one practice with him when everyone was here, and it went really well,” says Neufeld.