Head Coach Shawn Swords

Shawn Swords enters his first year as Head Coach of the Laurentian Voyageurs basketball program. The native of Ottawa, Ontario has made the transition to the coach’s role after playing 10 years of professional basketball overseas and over 100 international games for Canada, including being a member of the 2000 Olympic team in Sydney, Australia and 2003 FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying team. Swords was an instrumental part of team Canada’s second best record of 5-2 in the Olympic tournament and was a starter with the semi-finalist team in 2003.

Swords’ is a former standout player for the Laurentian Voyageurs basketball program wearing the blue and gold from 1992 to 1997. In five seasons in the nickel capital he led Laurentian to two national championship tournament berths, one in 1993-94 and the second in 1996-97, where the Voyageurs lost in the tournament semi-finals. He was also an assistant coach in 1997-98 with the Voyageurs when they lost in the national tournament semi-finals for the second year.

Individually, Swords earned many accolades including being named an OUA east division second-team all-star in 1993-94 and 1995-96 and an OUA east division first-team all-star in 1994-95 and 1996-97. He was also named a CIAU second-team all-Canadian in 1997. In Europe, he was named a three-star MVP in 2003 and European player of the year in 2003 and 2004.

As a player Swords was known for being a hard worker and his intelligence on the offensive and defensive ends of the court. As a coach he will look to instill these same attributes into his players.

Swords currently resides in Sudbury, Ontario with his wife Shelley, and daughter Syla.