John Lavery was named the second full-time head coach of the Queen's Men's Rugby program in April 2024.
In his inaugural season as head coach with the Gaels, Lavery guided the team to the OUA Championship match against the Guelph Gryphons with a commendable 9-3 overall record, and a 5-1 mark in conference play.
Lavery joined Queen's after serving as head coach of the Concordia Stingers Men's Rugby program for four years. During his tenure, he led the Stingers to an RSEQ Championship in 2021, achieving a 5-1 regular season record and guiding the team to the Canadian University Men's Rugby Championship (CUMRC), where they claimed the Consolation Championship. Over three seasons, Lavery's teams combined for a 12-7 regular season record with two RSEQ playoff appearances and one conference title.
Beyond his university coaching experience, Lavery has been heavily involved in Rugby Quebec's men's programs, leading the U19 teams for over 14 years and working as a Skills Coach for the Montreal Academy. His expertise extends to national and professional levels, having held multiple positions with Rugby Canada, including Forwards Coach for the U18/19 Men's teams, Scrum and Contact Skills Coach for the U20 Women's team, and the Maple Leafs.
He also served as an assistant coach for the Toronto Arrows Rugby Football Club Academy.
As a player, Lavery competed at the club level with the Kingston Panthers and Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue Rugby Football Club, represented the Quebec Senior Men in the RCSL, and played for John Abbott College and Trent University, where he earned three OUA All-Star honors.
Record at Queen's
|
Regular Season |
OUA Playoffs |
CUMRC |
| Year |
W-L |
W-L |
W-L |
| 2024-25 |
5-1 |
2-1 |
2-1 |
| Overall |
5-1 |
2-1 |
2-1 |
