Track & Field | 10/9/2026 5:30:00 PM

From age 13 onward, Ray Rudder knew that Track and Field was his future.

Growing up in Barbados, Rudder saw from a young age that he had speed, and untapped potential he needed to channel, which found him his love of Track and Field.

"I ended up joining B.C. Track Club and they were able to guide me and help me develop my skills, and I fell in love with it" said Rudder reflecting on how he got started in the sport.

However, it was not always sunshine and rainbows for Rudder's experience early on in the sport, as he found some people were given knowledge he didn't have about the next steps.

"When I found that out, I was a little annoyed and upset, and from that moment I said that if I ever get the opportunity to be a coach that none of the athletes under my care would not be left without the information they need to succeed."

Rudder remarkably had taken a situation where was not treated properly and made it his life's mission to ensure that no kid who loves the sport of track and field would go through the same problem he did.

"I took an opportunity to go to Cuba, and that's where all of my skills for coaching evolved and got to the point where I was very fortunate to work with some of the best juniors in the world."

From there on, Rudder coached with the Barbados National Team and secured phenomenal results, leading them into the Pan-Am games in 2015, held at what is now York Lions Stadium.

Rudder's wife, who was born and raised in Canada, led him to Canada where he reached out to Colin Inglis, the Head Coach of York at the time.

"He interviewed me and gave me the opportunity to work with the team in 2015" and from there the rest is history, as he is now the Head Coach for York Track and Field.

When asked about what makes York special in the track and field space, Rudder replied that there is a formal system of training with files, exercises, and directions for how to improve in every potential facet an athlete may need. This system even goes as far as recovery and other day-to-day health needs, so no student athlete is left wondering what their next steps should be.

To all the future potential York Lions considering Track and Field, Rudder says "this is the place to be because we have perfected what it is to develop an athlete. You can come at whatever level, and we know how to create a pathway to be successful.

"If you are looking for a program to help you develop, we have a system that will work for you."

The goals for the track and field teams are simple: priority number one is maintaining academic standing that allows your future and you to be successful. After that standard is met, the goal is a top five finish in the OUA and U SPORTS championships.

"We know that OUA Championship is one of the strongest conferences in Canada, so once we are seeing the success at the OUA Championship that we know that by the time we approach the U SPORTS championship, we have a great chance to sustain those type of performances at the national level."

Those performances are exactly what Rudder has produced as coach of the York Lions track team. Since Rudder's first season at the helm in 2017-2018, he has led the Women's Track and Field team to six top five finishes in the OUA in eight total seasons. For the Men's team, Rudder has also led them to six top five finishes in the OUA in eight total seasons, winning the bronze medal as a team in both the 2019-20 season as well as last year in the 2025-26 season.

Rudder also led the Men's Track and Field team to top five finishes at the U SPORTS level in both the 2019-20 and 2025-26 seasons as well, cementing York's place as one of the elite Track and Field programs in Canada.

Rudder's success has also been recognized nationally, as last year he was named the Jumps Coach for Team Canada at the World Athletics U20 Championships.

When asked what it means to be a York Lion, Rudder responded that "we must emulate what a Lion is. Lion is the king of the jungle; you have to develop that mentality that you fear no one. It doesn't matter who you are going up against, believe in yourself as that Lion."

Rudder also applies this philosophy to everyday life, stating "you have to approach life in such a way that you are a winner. You can't be discouraged the moment an obstacle or challenger presents itself; you have to find a way to keep going."

Wise words from a man who has found a way throughout his life to follow his dreams and his passions, and truly someone who exemplifies what it means to be a York Lion.