Football Alberta announces coaching award winners for the 2012 season

Football Alberta is pleased to announce the following winners of Coaching Awards for the 2012 Season.  These awards were voted on by the Football Alberta Board of Directors at their AGM on February 2^nd and will be presented at either the Senior Bowl or Bantam Bowl Awards Banquet on May 19, 2013.

 

NORM KIMBALL COACH OF THE YEAR

Darcy Ogonoski – Austin O’Brien High School (Edmonton)

After years in the hunt the Crusaders finally kicked down the door and won their first ASAA Provincial Tier II Championship in 2011.  Not to let any time pass between the next one they repeated in 2012 with a dominant 44-3 win over the Catholic Central Cougars in the Tier II Championship game of the Alberta Bowl.  Having taken over a program in the 1990’s that didn’t even have a senior team at the time and turning it into one of the most consistently excellent teams for close to two decades this award is well overdue and we are very proud to present the Norm Kimball Coach of the Year Award to Darcy Ogonoski.

 

FRANK MORRIS TIER I HIGH SCHOOL COACH OF THE YEAR

David Diluzio – Notre Dame High School (Calgary)

It has been a long time since a juggernaut the levels to which the Notre Dame Pride reached this year has come along.  One has to go back to the L.C.I Rams team of 1990, which only allowed a single point against all year, to find the kind of defensive dominance Notre Dame showed in 2012.  After giving up a paltry 10 points 11 games in the Calgary Division 1 league play and playoffs they blasted into Provincials, winning both games handily.  Their offense wasn’t too bad either averaging 45 points per game, all against Top-10 teams, during their playoff and Provincial run culminating in a 37-8 win over Spruce Grove in the Alberta Bowl.  For this we are proud to present their head coach, David Diluzio, with the Frank Morris Tier I Coach of the Year Award.

 

LAURIE ROBERTSON TIER II HIGH SCHOOL COACH OF THE YEAR

Kyle Sedgwick – Hunting Hills High School (Red Deer)

A steady climb up the ladder to excellence has marked the last few seasons since Kyle Sedgwick took over the Hunting Hills program.  Prior to his coming the Lightning were a perennial also-ran in Central Alberta, however in the four years since he became head coach the team has gone 34-6-1 and won two Central Alberta League Championships, including 2012, and went to provincials for the first time ever in 2010 and went again this past season, advancing to the Semi-Finals.  A lot of tireless behind the scenes work is also the hallmark of Coach Sedgwick’s involvement with the Lightning and for that as well as his on-field excellence we are proud to present the Laurie Robertson Tier II  Coach of the Year Award to Kyle Sedgwick.

 

TIER III HIGH SCHOOL COACH OF THE YEAR

Rob McNab and Bruce O’Neil – Cochrane High School

The most prolific coaching tandem in Alberta high school history has done it again.  Not only did 2012 mark the 22 straight year the Cobras advanced to Provincials but it also marked the ninth time these two have paired up to win an ASAA Provincial Championship.  Winning two Tier II Championships in the 1990’s has been followed by a remarkable seven Tier III titles in nine attempts in the new Millenium including last seasons thrilling 31-20 come from behind victory over St. Albert in the Alberta Bowl.  A coaching pair for the ages and they’re not done yet.  For their great 2012 season we are very proud to present the Tier III Coach of the Year Award to co-coaches Rob McNab and Bruce O’Neil of the Cochrane Cobras.

 

TIER IV HIGH SCHOOL COACH OF THE YEAR

Ken Fournier – Drumheller High School

Drumheller is now known for more than fossils and bones and the Valley of the Dinosaur now sports the most successful Tier IV team in the Province.  Not once, but twice have they battled the Ardrossan Bisons in hard fought ASAA Provincial Tier IV finals in the Alberta Bowl and have come away both times with victory, scoring a 41-34 overtime win in 2011 and a 42-21 win in 2012.  The architect of this rise to prominence is a local boy returned home, having played for Drumheller as a high school player and now as their head coach leading them to the top of the heap.  For this we are proud to award Ken Fournier with the Tier IV Coach of the Year Award.

 

BANTAM COACH OF THE YEAR

Al Cooper – Calgary Cowboys

One of the most successful minor football coaches in the history of Alberta football has risen to the top again.  As well as being a prolific builder of the sport, having co-founded the Atom, Pee-Wee and Midget Leagues in the Calgary area, Coach Cooper has also lead his Cowboys to eight City Championships and two Provincial Championships since 1984.  This included this year’s Provincial Tier I Championship which they won by defeating the Cardston Cougars 28-0.  This is made all the more amazing in that the Cowboys organization also fields another bantam team that went on to win the Provincial Tier II Championship.  A builder, an innovator, and in 2012 – a champion, it is our pleasure to present the Bantam Coach of the Year award to Al Cooper.

 

ATOM/PEE-WEE COACH OF THE YEAR

Remo Cardone – Calgary Cowboys

Another measure of the success in the Calgary Cowboys organization is the play of their Pee-Wee teams, both of which advanced to Provincial Finals in 2012.  The “Grey” team, lead by head coach Remo Cardone, finished the regular season with 5 wins, 2 losses, and 1 tie, then got hot rolling all the way to the Provincial Tier II Final where they defeated the Edmonton Mustangs 36-7.  Coach Cardone has a long history of success in the coaching ranks having lead teams from Atom to High School but it is for his work with the Cowboys “Grey” team that we are proud to present him with the Atom/Pee-Wee Coach of the Year Award for 2012.

 

GARY HOBSON VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Jim Courchesne – Calgary Bantam Football Association

Jim Courchesne’s involvement in minor football in Calgary pre-dates the formation of the Calgary Bantam Football Association.  Jim started coaching in 1962 and was one of the founding members of the CBFA in 1964.  Over the past 50 years, Jim has served as both a coach and administrator in the CBFA and was a driving force behind the development of the outstanding football facility at Shouldice Park.  Having served as a director, Vice President, President, and Past President of the CBFA, sometimes on two or more occasions during his tenure, Jim has worked hard to make sure the kids have a level playing field and get an enjoyable season each year.  For this we are proud to present Jim Courchesne with the Gary Hobson Award for 2012.