Team Ontario West: Underhill leads team for 5th straight season

Rob Underhill once again will be the Head Coach for the 2012 Team Ontario West version at this years Football Canada Cup in London, Ontario. As an Under 18 head coach Underhill has led Team Ontario West to 4th (2011) and 5th (2010) place finishes. As an Under 19 head coach he led the single Ontario representative to a 5th place finish in 2009 and 4th place in 2008. In 2006 and 2007 Rob was an assistant on the U19 staff.

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Coach Staff Bios

Rob Underhill – Head Coach
Hamilton Ironmen / McMaster Mauraders
Rob played Defensive back at both Wilfrid Laurier, and McMaster Universities. Since then Robs coaching career has included H.S., OVFL, CJFL, and CIS. Rob is currently entering his 5th season as the Hamilton Varsity Ironmen Head Coach , and his 6th season on staff with Team Ontario West. Rob also serves as a certified NCCP instructor. He has been an assistant with McMaster the past 2 seasons.

Chris Bertoia – Offensive Coordiantor
Western Ontario / London Jr. Mustangs
Chris Bertoia is the Offensive Line Coach and Recruiting Coordinator with the Western Mustangs and in his fourth year as a full-time assistant coach. Bertoia is also the new Head Coach of the London Jr. Mustangs Varsity OVFL team for the 2012 season as well as the Offensive Coordinator for the 2012 Golden Horseshoe Rising Stars team. He previously worked with the OFA as the offensive line coach for Team Ontario West at the 2010 Football Canada Cup in Wolfville, N.S., as well as having been a guest coach at three CFL training camps in B.C., Toronto and Hamilton.

Prior to his arrival at Western in January 2009, Bertoia was a full-time assistant at St. Francis Xavier for four and a half years, serving as both Offensive and Defensive Line Coach, Recruiting Coordinator and Strength and Conditioning Coach.

At the Junior and High School level, Bertoia served as the Offensive Line Coach for the Canadian Junior Football League’s London Beefeaters (2002-2004). Bertoia also has previously served as Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach with Laurier High School in London (2004) and as Offensive Line Coach at London’s Catholic Central High School (2000-2003).

Scott Evans – Offensve Line Coach
Wilfred Laurier University
Playing:
Cambridge Minor Football
– Played for Cambridge from Atom (age 11) through Sr OV Jacob Hespeler Secondary School in Cambridge, Waterloo region all star, ‘Silver Bonnet’ award for team’s hardest hitter Wilfrid Laurier University, 4 year starter at left tackle, 2005 Vanier Cup national champion, 2006, 2008 2nd team All-Canadian, 2007 1st team All-Canadian, 2007 OUA & CIS J.P. Metras winner as top lineman Toronto Argonauts, 2007 & 2008 practice roster, 2009 active roster

Coaching:
Cambridge Minor Football
– have coached every level from tyke (ages 9-10) through Sr OV Wilfrid Laurier University
– current OL coach

Illyas Zylstra – Wide Receivers
Brantford Collegiate Institute
6th year as a Team Ontario Offensive Coach
Has Coached for the Brantford Bisons and Hamilton Ironmen of the OVFL as a receivers coach.
Currently in his 6th year as the Offensive Coordinator for the BCI Mustangs.
Played for the McMaster Marauders from 02-06 as Soltback
Played for Team Ontario in 2002, the Under 19 National Canada Cup Champions

Donnavan Carter – Defensive Coordinator
University of Toronto
After being named Defensive Backs Coach at the University of Toronto for the 2008 season, Donnavan proceeded to contribute greatly to the re-build of Varsity Blues football program. Serving as the secondary coach in his first year and then as the Defensive Coordinator in 2009 and 2011 the team has shown tremendous growth. Coming off a year where the defense led by Donnavan and Defensive Assistants; the defense took massive strides, finishing 2nd in the conference in total defense, and 1st versus the pass. Donnavan returns in 2012 in the same role looking to build on the team and defensive accomplishments from 2011. Donnavan’s coaching career was preceded by a illustrious 8 year CFL playing career that saw him play for four different teams Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton and Winnipeg.

Bill Brown – Special Teams Coordinator/ Defensive Backs
University of Guelph
Bill Brown – Special Forces Coordinator and Director of Recruiting & Football Development for the University of Guelph.
Bill returns for his twelfth season as a member of the Gryphons coaching staff. Bill’s experience in the past with the Gryphons has included coaching the defensive backs for 8 years and coordinating the defense for 2 years. Bill has coached for Team Ontario both as a Special Team Coordinator in 2011 and 2010 and Defensive Coordinator in 2009.
On top of his coaching career with the Gryphons and Team Ontario, Bill has been a Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator for the Guelph Bears in the OVFL for four years. He has been the Defensive Coordinator for Bishop MacDonell high school in 2004 and St. James high school in 2005. As a player for the Gryphons from 1994 to 1998, Bill was named 1994 Gryphon Rookie of the Year, 1996 OUAA All-Star, was a member of the 1996 Yates Cup Championship team and was awarded the 1998 Gryphon Defensive Player of the Year. Bill teaches grade 7/8 in Guelph at Waverly Public School.