Team Ontario East: Engel appointed head coach – 4th in four years

John Engel will lead this years version of the Team Ontario East Under 18 team that will represent at the Football Canada Cup in London, Ontario. This is John’s first year as the teams head coach. He served as the teams Offensive Coordinator in 2011 when the team placed 7th. The previous 2 Head Coaches (2010 – Costanzo / 2011 – Timlin) are still on this staff.

CLICK HERE for tryout schedule in your area for both Ontario teams

BIOs provided by coaches

John Engel – Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator

York University 2003-July2007
•Receiver’s coach / Offensive assistant 2003-2007
•Instructor (receivers) at York University Level 1&2 coaches’ clinics 2003-2006
•Organizer and coach for York University High School development camp 2003-2006

University of Toronto July2007-November 2011
•Offensive Coordinator – Recruiting Coordinator May 2010 – Present
•Assistant Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator – LB’s Coach 2009-May2010
•Offensive Coordinator Dec2007-2009
•Quarterbacks Coach / Offensive Assistant July2007-Dec2007
•Coach at U of T Big Man Camp 2008

Etobicoke Eagles (OVFL)
•Director of Football Operations and Recruiting Coordinator Sept.2005-April 2009
•Offensive Coordinator for Junior Varsity team (14-17yrs) April2003-Sept2005
•Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator for Varsity team (17-20yrs) Sept2005-Present
•2003 COMFL Finalist as Offensive Coordinator at JV level
•2004 COMFL Champion as Offensive Coordinator at JV level
•2006 OVFL Champion as Head Coach at Varsity level
•2007 & 2008 OVFL Wettges Conference Finalist at Varsity level

Team Ontario
•Team Ontario East Offensive Coordinator July 2011
•Team Central Ontario Junior Varsity Offensive Coordinator July2005
•Finalist at Canada Cup Tournament 2005

Heath Weir – Quarterbacks

Huron Heights SS
2004 – Present – Huron Heights S.S. (Newmarket, ON)
2009 – Present – GTA All-Star Team, Head Coach
2001-2002 – University of Memphis, Graduate Assistant Coach
1998 – 2000 – Arkansas State University, Graduate Assistant Coach
1996 – 1998 – Acadia University, Offensive Line Coach

Len Gurr – Offensive Line

St Andrews College
During his playing career, Len was named a city all-star selection in London and subsequently won a Senior Bowl championship. In the summer of 1999, he attained a silver medal while playing for Team Ontario at the Football Canada Cup in Vancouver, British Columbia. He then went on to play for the London Beefeaters of the Canadian Junior Football League and the University of Western Ontario Mustangs. Len served as team captain of the Beefeaters, and was named an Ontario Football Conference all-star and ‘Lineman of the Year.’ Len was also named to the Beefeaters ‘Team of the Decade’ for 2000 – 2010.

Len is currently in his 7th year teaching and coaching at St. Andrew’s College. He has been the head coach of the Saints for the past 3 years, after serving as offensive coordinator for the previous 4 years. In the past two seasons, he has led the Saints to back-to-back CISAA finals appearances, including a 2011 CISAA championship and Metro Bowl appearance. Len also coaches the offensive line at St. Andrew’s. Key players he has coached include Matt O’Donnell (Cincinnati Bengals), Eddie Meredith (Boston College Eagles), and Peter Godber (Scholarship offer from Baylor University for the class of 2013).

Len started his coaching career as offensive line coach at London Catholic Central High School in 2003. In 2004, he served as offensive coordinator and associate head coach at Medway High School in London. He has also held the position of defensive coordinator with the London Falcons, and in 2005 he worked as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator of the Forest City Thunderbirds. He also served as the head coach and offensive coordinator of the York Storm in the Ontario Varsity Football League, has guest coached at multiple CIS training camps, and he was the offensive line coach for Team Ontario during the 2011 Football Canada Cup in Lethbridge, Alberta.

Rob Hamm – Wide Receivers

Ashbury College
Currently – NCAFA VP Progams
NCCP – Old Level III Fully Certified Learning Facilitator
Coaching Experience:
2011 – present Ashbury College Assistant Coach
2011 – Head Coach Ottawa Valley Wolfpack u-16 program
2011 – present Founding Partner Elite Football Academy
2006 – 2010 Head Coach at various levels Kanata Knights NCAFA
1998 – Offensive Line Coach Carleton Ravens
1997 – Offensive Coordinator Team Ontario Canadian u-19 Championships
1995 – 1997 Offensive Coordinator Orleans Dukes Midget Program
1991 – 1993 Offensive Line and Special Teams University of Ottawa GG’s
1990 – Offensive Line Ottawa Sooners CJFL
1982 – 1991, 1999, 2001 – 2009 Head Coach South Carleton HS Ottawa, Ontario
1977 – 1981 Player McMaster University, Hamilton Ontario

Career: Teacher Ottawa Carleton District School Board

Luigi Costanzo – Special Teams Coordinator / Running Backs

Ottawa University
Coach Costanzo is entering his third year with the Team Ontario program and is excited to be serving as the Special Teams Coordinator and Running backs coach again this year. He is currently a full time assistant with the University of Ottawa Gee Gees as their Special Teams Coordinator and Linebackers coach. Previous to coaching in the CIS, Coach Costanzo spent six years at the junior level as the Head Coach for the Ottawa Junior Riders program. His teams enjoyed success winning three consecutive Quebec Junior League championships. In addition, Coach Costanzo has experience coaching at the OVFL and NCAFA levels accordingly.Luigi was also named the Head Coach for the host Team Ottawa in the 2003 Canada Cup where his squad earned a bronze medal respectively. He is a level three certified coach and is also certified as a learning facilitator for the NCCP program.

Ryan Bechmanis -Assistant Head Coach – Defensive Coordinator

Queens University
Ryan Bechmanis is the current Special Teams Coordinator and Defensive Backs coach for the Queen’s Gaels. This will be his 6th season working with the provincial program and his second as defensive coordinator. Previously he was the Special Teams Coordinator, Defensive Assistant and General Manager for the East Ontario team. Ryan won the Vanier Cup in 2009 with the Gaels after winning the Canada Cup that summer with East Ontario. He is a graduate from the Queen’s Physical and Health Education program and prior to beginning his coaching career in Kingston in 2007 he spent a summer playing semi-professional football in Denmark. Ryan has coached Special Teams and DB’s at the CIS East West Bowl over the past two years and will be coaching the Defense for the Golden Horseshoe Rising Stars team this spring as well. Ryan played five years as a defensive back for the Gaels after completing his high school career for the Nelson Lords in Burlington

Tom Timlin – Linebackers

Carleton University
Timlin has over 16 years coaching experience at the CIS and amateur football ranks. In 2011 he was the Head Coach of Team Ontario East u18, and also coached on several successful programs including Myers Riders OVFL JV 2011 Provincial Champion Finalist , Saint Andrews College 2011 CISAA Champions, Orleans Bengals Midget 2011 NCAFA Champions and South Gloucester Raiders Bantam 2011 NCAFA Champions.

As a player in the CIS, 1981-85, Tom was a two-time All-Canadian, CIS Defensive Player of the Year and four-time All Conference All Star. Tom is a member of the Carleton University Hall of Fame and is the only Carleton football player to have his number retired.

Tom currently is the Manager of Football Operations at Carleton University and is active in the return of Carleton University Football Kicking off in 2013.

Tom Norwell – Defensive Line

York University
Tom Norwell is the Assistant Head Coach and Linebacker Coach at York University. He began coaching at York in 2010 as the assistant head coach and the linebackers coach. In 2011 he was part of the coaching staff for Team Ontario East at the 2011 Canada Cup. Before joining the Lions, he was the defensive coordinator for 10 years at Dr. G.W. Williams Secondary School in Aurora, and during that time he also served as a guest coach and recruiter at Concordia University. As a player he was a linebacker at John Abbot College in 1977-78 winning the Bol D’or in 1977 and played with Concordia University in 1980-81 and Calgary Colts in 1982.