It is with great sadness that the Vanier Athletics Department learned about the passing of former Football Head Coach, Ray Gagnon. Coach Gagnon was the Cheetahs Football Head Coach from 1996 to 2003. In his eight seasons, he racked up 49 game victories (second highest in College history) and also took the team to three Bol d’Or appearances.
“Ray Gagnon was instrumental in gaining notoriety for Vanier Football across Canada and parts of the USA. He helped so many of his players attain their goals, and he was a very good man who always wanted the best for his athletes.” said Coach Peter Chryssomalis, Head Coach of the Cheetahs Football Team.
The players, coaching team and the Athletics Department would all like to extend their deepest sympathies to his family.
Both the visitation and the funeral will be held at the Yves Légaré Complexe Angrignon – LaSalle, at 7200 boul. Newman. Directions are available from their website linked below.
The visitation will be on Tuesday, April 2nd from 1-5 PM and 7-9 PM and also on Wednesday from 9:30-11:30 AM. The funeral will be on Wednesday starting at 11:30 AM.
https://yveslegare.com/avis-de-deces/raymond-gagnon/
Some highlights from Ray Gagnon’s career as a football coach at Vanier
In 2001, along with Vanier players winning many awards, Ray Gagnon and his staff won the RSEQ league’s Coaching Staff of the Year Award:
https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/athletics/ftballawrds_a01.html
Then in the following year, Ray Gagnon won our Coach of the Year award at the Vanier Athletics Awards Banquet:
http://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/audiovisual/slideshow/slideshow90/coty.html
Finally, here is a 2003 article published in the Montreal Gazette by Arpon Basu which highlights Coach Gagnon’s primary role in a football program that produced an amazing 35 players who went on to win scholarships to U.S. colleges over six years:
https://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/athletics/footballfactory/gaz_story.html
Vanier Athletics honours Coach Gagnon’s contribution to our renowned football program. Rest in peace, Ray.
source: Vaniercollege.qc.ca
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