UPEI Panthers' Lewis Page appointed as first head coach of Halifax Tides FC
After 25 seasons with the UPEI Panthers, men’s and women’s soccer coach Lewis Page is set to begin a new chapter with the Halifax Tides FC. The soccer team is a founding club in the Northern Super League, which is committed to excellence in women’s professional soccer in Canada.
Page has been appointed as the Tides' first head coach for their inaugural season. He will continue to coach the Panthers until the end of the 2024 varsity season before transitioning to his new role in Halifax.
“Lewis Page has been synonymous with UPEI soccer for over two decades, so it’s a bittersweet moment,” said Jane Vessey, Director of Athletics and Recreation at UPEI. “We will miss Lewis dearly, but are so thrilled for this opportunity for him.”
Page has been head coach of the UPEI men’s soccer team since 2000 and the women’s team since 2020. Under his leadership, the men’s team won the 2002 AUS Championship and competed in CIS National Championships in 2002, 2005, 2009, and 2014 when they captured a bronze medal. Page was named AUS Coach of the Year on four occasions and CIS Coach of the Year in 2002.
“There are not enough words to express how grateful I am for the time I have spent at UPEI. The University and the athletics department have supported me on my coaching journey from a young assistant coach in 1995 to a head coach entering his 25th season,” said Page.
“I am excited about the new challenge that awaits me in Halifax at the end of this varsity soccer season. However, I will be saddened to leave my Panther family. My memories will not be about the wins and losses but about the quality of the people who have touched my life here. Although I may be leaving UPEI, it will never leave me.”
Page said he is looking forward to the 2024 varsity season and hopes to make it a memorable one. To ensure there is a smooth transition, Page will also work closely with the UPEI Athletics and Recreation department as it begins a search for new coaching staff in November.
Congratulations, Coach Page!
