Doug Branchflower
History/Social Studies Teacher; Rugby Coach
B.A. (UofS), B.Ed. (UofA)
Mr. Branchflower received his B.A. from the University of Saskatchewan and completed his B.Ed. at the University of Alberta. He has taught several business and humanities courses, including economics, entrepreneurship, history, law, psychology, and English. He is currently teaching AP World History and Social Studies 10. Having both attended and worked at Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, Mr. Branchflower is a boarding school stalwart. Before coming to Brentwood, he served as the Director of Athletics and Head of Humanities at Notre Dame, where he also held the position of Houseparent for several years. Mr. Branchflower is an accomplished rugby coach, working with both men’s and women’s school, regional, and provincial teams in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, and BC, as well as being both an assistant coach and manager of Rugby Canada’s U17/U18 men’s programs. Mr. Branchflower is also a coach educator for World Rugby, Rugby Canada, and the National Coaching Certification Program, holding both a Level 3 coaching certificate and an Advanced Coaching Diploma from the NCCP.
David Cowie
Rugby, Strength & Conditioning coach
B.A. (UVic)
Mr. Cowie, aside from being a current staff member, as well as Brentwood alumni, grew up around the school. The son of long time faculty member Mr. Steven Cowie, his love of rugby – instilled in him by his father – grew through his five years spent at Brentwood, culminating in his playing for the school’s BC Provincial Championship winning 1st XV. After graduating from Brentwood, Mr. Cowie attended Uvic where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree while playing rugby for Uvic, and then for his hometown club of Cowichan. Following his university studies he moved to Auckland, New Zealand, where he spent a short stint playing rugby for Auckland Suburbs. It was here that he discovered his penchant for coaching and training. Upon returning to Vancouver Island in 2012, Mr. Cowie began coaching rugby back at Brentwood, while simultaneously earning his personal trainer’s certificate (CPT), as well as his strength and conditioning certification (CSCS). He has since helped develop Brentwood’s strength and conditioning program, while also working in Victoria, B.C as a strength and conditioning trainer, and consultant.
Steve Cowie
History, Social Studies teacher; Rugby Coach
B.A., M.A. (UVic)
A native of sunny Kelowna, British Columbia, Steve Cowie graduated with honours from the University of Victoria in 1975, majoring in history and English, then completed his master’s in history in 1976. He has played rugby for the UVic Vikings, the Castaways, the Island Crimson Tide, and Cowichan. As the longest-serving member of the Brentwood faculty, Mr. Cowie is a “lifer” nine times over—and now teaches the sons and daughters of students he taught in the early years. For his first five years at Brentwood, he was the Assistant Houseparent of Ellis House and has been associated with Ellis ever since.He has taught history, geography, English, creative writing, and law—while coaching at every level of rugby, basketball, golf, and tennis. He was Head of the Social Studies Department for ten years and was also Editor for 15 Brentwood yearbooks. He has had the privilege of coaching the Girls’ Rugby Team since 2003 as well as the Island Tsunami U18 Girls’ Team and the BC U18 Girls’ Team, with Mr. Marius Felix.Though Dr. Johnson defined a historian as “a hopeless drudge”, Mr. Cowie makes history come alive in the classroom with his passion for teaching and his belief that inspiration and encouragement are the greatest motivators. He likes to think this keeps him eternally young at heart. Mr. Cowie and his wife Sheila have two sons who are Old Brentonians—David (‘08; married to Mandy Marchak) and Nathan (‘05; married to Robyn), and three grandchildren, Finn, Lilly and Elias.
Mandy Marchak
Rugby Coach
B.Ed (University of Victoria), B.A. (University of Victoria), Association of Canadian Mountain Guides CGI 2 & TRCI
Ms. Marchak played a prominent role in Rugby Canada’s fifteens and sevens programs during her career. She began playing in Manitoba and was inducted into the Manitoba Rugby Hall of Fame in 2017 following an outstanding career. She moved from Winnipeg to British Columbia to play with Capilano in 2004, and in 2009 she was named BC Premier Player of the Year. Marchak relocated to England for three years to play with the historic club Saracens RFC in London. On the 15s circuit, Ms. Marchak represented Canada on the U-19 side in 2002 and the U-23 side in 2004. She was selected to the 2006 World Cup side and played in an impressive three World Cups in total (2006, 2010, 2014), capturing a Silver Medal in 2014. Marchak also competed with the women’s seven’s program and went to the first sevens World Cup in 2009, as well as the 2013 seven’s World Cup in Russia. She currently coaches on Brentwood’s Girls’ Rugby Team.
Malcolm Phillips
Math Teacher ; Rugby Coach
Bachelors in Marketing/Economics ; PGCE (University of South Africa)
Malcolm Phillips is an experienced international educator and coach with over 15 years of teaching across South Africa, Canada, and the UAE. Born and raised in Durban, South Africa, he moved to Canada in 2016 and taught at Rundle College in Calgary. After obtaining Canadian citizenship, he moved abroad to pursue international teaching opportunities in Abu Dhabi.In the UAE, Mr. Phillips served as Head of Mathematics at the Canadian International School and most recently as Head of Grade 7 at Raha International School. He is certified to teach in the South African, Alberta (Canada), and IB Middle Years Program frameworks and is known for his strong leadership, dedication to student development, and collaborative approach to education.As a passionate sportsman and coach, Mr. Phillips has led school teams in rugby, football, swimming, volleyball, and cricket to regional and provincial championships. He is also the current Head Coach of Team UAE Underwater Hockey, having previously represented both South Africa and Canada at the international level. He sits on the CMAS College of Coaches and Referees.Outside of his professional life, Mr. Phillips enjoys golf, padel, pickleball, and surfing. He is excited to bring his experience, energy, and enthusiasm to the classroom and sports field as part of a vibrant school community.
Phil Smith
Mathematics Instructional Lead; Rugby Coach
B.Ed. (UVic), MMT (Waterloo)
Phil was raised in Victoria and graduated with a B.Ed. from the University of Victoria. He spent 10 years teaching in New Zealand and in 2014 he was awarded a Teacher Fellowship through the Royal Society of New Zealand to investigate Maori health and education. In 2015, he completed a Master of Mathematics for Teachers at the University of Waterloo. He returned to Canada in 2015 and has been teaching at Brentwood since. Phil is married to Maraina and they live with their five children. He loves mountain biking, ferrying his children around, and rugby!
Shane Thompson
Assistant Houseparent (Rogers House); Head of Rugby; Grade 8 P.E.
B.A. (Bishop's)
Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Shane Thompson grew up in a very athletic family, developing an early and incurable passion for sports. Focusing on university-level basketball, football, and rugby, he attended Bishop’s University and completed a B.A. in geography and economics—in between practices. Shortly afterward, he moved to Victoria, BC, played rugby for the Canadian National Team, and toured the world several times over. In 2005, Mr. Thompson transitioned into coaching for Rugby Canada and completed his Master of Education at the University of Victoria. When not coaching rugby or strength and conditioning at Brentwood, he works as a professional coach and manager for the BC Rugby Elite Youth 7s Program and also coaches the Canada Maple Leafs 7s Team. Mr. Thompson’s goal is to strengthen Brentwood’s Rugby Program and to cultivate elite players who may one day realize their Olympic dream. He is an outdoor aficionado, a keen traveller, and a surprisingly talented hip-hop and swing dancer.
Rugby
Brentwood Rugby has a rich history, with origins that reach back to the founding of the School in 1923 as well as to the first head of school at our Mill Bay campus (David Mackenzie, Head of School 1961-76)—an accomplished and passionate “rugger” and an enthusiastic coach to both girls and boys.
This program is inclusive and founded on respect—welcoming students of all skill levels. Players flourish, with Brentwood proud to have nurtured many university, professional, and international competitors—including an alum who played for South Korea at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Our experienced coaches develop players of all ages and skill levels, building a strong culture focused on respect for teammates, opponents, and officials. With connections at several universities, our female players have been successful at the post-secondary level for many years.
Students train throughout the year in rugby, building towards their competitive season in the spring. Both squads regularly qualify for the provincial championships in May. In 2024, the 1st XV Boys won Gold at Islands and 4th place at Provincials.
Brentwood also competes in Rugby 7s. This fast-paced competition has been a great addition to the program, allowing more players to find success in different areas of the game.
During the year, our rugby players follow a comprehensive Strength & Conditioning program in preparation for their competitive season. The Strength & Conditioning Centre and Hardy Cardio Room are outfitted with the latest weights and cardio equipment—where our full-time conditioning coaches develop specialized, sport-specific training programs to help elevate Brentwood athletes to the next level.
Local Rugby Club Connection
Brentwood students can also take advantage of our longstanding relationship with the Cowichan Rugby Club, which enables athletes to get more game time per year—adding the fall season to the School’s standard spring-term experience for those in the Brentwood Program—as well as to meet students outside of the Brentwood community. For families interested in registering, please visit the Cowichan Rugby website.
Still in the Game: Alumni Sports Day
On Saturday, May 23rd, 2026, the second annual Alumni Sports Day took place on Gillespie Field and in the Foote Center gym. This afternoon, the campus was filled with students who graduated from past years, and…
Girls Rugby: A Season of Growth
Dedication, teamwork, and joy are words that capture everything the girls’ rugby team has brought to the field this year – that the team culture we have cultivated. Last spring, the team – with broken hearts…
A Season to Remember: Senior Boys Rugby Writes a New Chapter
Under cool spring rain, clear evening skies, and the glow of late afternoon lights, the Brentwood Senior Boys Rugby team stepped onto the pitch knowing every match would demand something from them. Grass-stained jerseys, tired legs,…
ATHLETICS: April/May 2026
It is the busiest time of year for our many different athletics teams as they gear up for playoffs and seek to punch their tickets to Island, Provincial, and National championships. On the water, our rowing…
Where Students Choose To Be
+1 (250) 743-5521
admissions@brentwood.ca
info@brentwood.ca
2735 Mount Baker Road
Mill Bay, BC, Canada V8H 1K8