Carter and Flaxman on board to lead Varsity Blues to success

Donnavan Carter and Tom Flaxman are the perfect fit for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues football program.

Director of Intercollegiate and High Performance Sport, Beth Ali says she is confident both men will help head coach Greg Gary lead the Varsity Blues to success on and off the field.

“Under head coach Greg Gary’s leadership, I expect both co-coordinators will make significant contributions to the development of our players from an athletic, academic and leadership perspective,” says Ali.

Last week, the university announced that Carter will remain the defensive coordinator of the Varsity Blues. Originally from Brampton, Ontario, Carter had a successful NCAA career with the University of Northern Illinois Huskies. In his senior year, he served as a captain and was named defensive MVP for the team.

Carter came back north of the border where he was picked fourth overall in the 2000 CFL Draft by the Toronto Argonauts. As an outside linebacker and safety, Carter played for the Argonauts, Hamilton Tiger Cats, Ottawa Renegades and Winnipeg Blue Bombers until his retirement in 2008.

Ali says Carter made a significant contribution in the success of the Varsity Blues in 2011. He will continue to make a strong contribution this upcoming season given the amount of experience and expertise he will bring in this role.

“He brings excellent football knowledge on the defensive side of the ball and the athletes respect his experience and his coaching style,” explains Ali. “Athletes recruited to play for the Blues can expect a comprehensive program which will include the specialized coaching Donnavan will provide.”

Flaxman was hired on Monday as the offensive coordinator for the Varsity Blues and also comes with a wealth of experience. He has been part of the Mississauga Warriors program (OVFL) since 2004. He has served as an offensive assistant, co-coordinator and coordinator with the team. The Warriors have won three OVFL and four division championships during this time.

As a running back with the McMaster Marauders, Flaxman won the Yates Cup with the team in 2003. He moved over to Acadia University where he was a member of the AUS championship Axemen teams in 2005 and 2006.

After his playing career, Flaxman remained with the Axemen as a running backs coach in 2008. Soon after, he became special teams coordinator. Most recently, Flaxman served as the co-offensive coordinator and led the Axemen to the AUS championship title in 2011.

Flaxman is excited for this new opportunity with the Varsity Blues.

“Toronto is home for me, and I’ve always wanted to work at U of T,” comments Flaxman. “U of T has a great academic reputation, and outstanding facilities.”

“I’m excited to work with Beth, Greg, Donnavan, and the rest of the staff in the building of a championship program.”

Ali is equally excited that Flaxman has joined the football program.

“I am thrilled that Tom has joined the Varsity Blues coaching staff,” says Ali. “Tom’s expertise on the offensive side of the ball and his outstanding work ethic and commitment to football make him an excellent addition to our coaching roster.”

Now the focus turns to the upcoming season. The new offensive coordinator believes in a “power” running game. Therefore, the Varsity Blues will be implementing that in their game execution plans for 2012.

“Our offense will have balance, we will commit to running the football,” adds Flaxman. “We will put an emphasis on protecting the football and cutting down on turnovers.”

“I believe we have a lot of potential with the players we have on the offensive side of the ball, we are going to put them in positions to be successful.”

(Photos courtesy of University of Toronto Varsity Blues Football Site)

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