Waterloo commit “…took advantage of every single football opportunity presented to me”

Waterloo welcomes a southern Ontario commit to their 2018 class.

Andre Coulombe, a defensive back from St. Mary’s Catholic Secondary School, has no doubts in his decision to become a University of Waterloo Warrior.

Coulombe was on the radar of six schools, however he said by December, he knew which teams really wanted him. “That feeling is great. You pour your heart into your sport. You should feel that the team you choose is as committed to you as you are to the team,” he said. “I felt like Coach Darrel Adams wanted me at Waterloo. He wanted to see me compete as a Warrior.”

He added that while Waterloo is building brand-new infrastructure and has a great academic reputation, “it’s about the people, the easy-to-talk-to coaches, friendly players and helpful advisors. Turf, gyms and locker and meeting rooms don’t win football games, players and coaches do.”

Speaking of coaches, Coulombe believes that the Warriors have a lot of success heading their way. “They’ve pulled together a team of great coaches that see a ton of potential for the program and have the drive to succeed. Head Coach Chris Bertoia winning the 2017 OUA Coach of the Year is proof of that, being apart of their rebuilding years is very exciting to me,” he said.

Coulombe is interested in studying Kinesiology. He said that he is fascinated with the human body and loves working out, so studying body mechanics will help him train better as an athlete. He added that his knowledge will be a skill he can pass on to others.

“Choosing to play football while going to school is definitely a harder path to take,” Coulombe said. “Warrior coaches talk about players being at Waterloo for a degree and that football is a bonus…It’s good to know my team is there to support my success in the classroom as much as our success on the field.”

During his grade 11 season, Coulombe, who is from Waterdown, Ontario, sought out opportunities to display his talents to OUA coaches. He said that the Fox 40 prospect Challenge, the FPC all-star game and the Ontario Red vs Black weekend provided him with the exposure he was seeking.

“I followed the advice of one of my mentors, Courtney Stephen, and took advantage of every single football opportunity presented to me,” Coulombe said. “There wasn’t one month during the 2017 season that I didn’t attend a combine, a practice, have a visit or compete in a game. He believed these experiences would help me figure out what I was looking for in a football program and it did.”

Along with several tournament showings, the six-year veteran also played with the Burlington Stampeders (OFC) and the St. Mary’s Crusaders (HWCSSAA). In 2014, he helped the bantam Stamps win an OFC championship. He was also the junior Crusaders’ rookie of the year. In 2015, he was the junior Crusaders’ defensive MVP. The following year, he won another OFC championship with the JV Stamps.

What are the self-described keys to Coulombe’s game? “My height, strength and dependability are my edge,” Coulombe, who is 6’3, 205lbs, said. “With my arm span, I have great reach, my athleticism allows me to play a variety of positions and I give max effort at practice because that’s where games are won.”