My initial assumption when contacting coaches from across the country; was that coaching matters. Great programs I was convinced, were led by great coaches. As much as I was excited to speak with coaches from all parts of Canada, I did not realize what a great treat this was going to be. The exercise far surpassed my expectations.
I have been coaching for over 50 years, I have served on selection committees to hire university coaches and athletic directors, I have met with and discussed coaching philosophy with coaches from all over North America (high school, CEGEP, NCAA, U Sports, CFL & NFL), and the group of Canadian high school coaches, I recently interviewed, are βas good as it getsβ.
The following are the coaches I consulted with:
- Mark Townsend – CFC50 Mt. Douglas – Victoria, BC
- John Foord – CFC50 Leboldus – Regina, SK
- Stacy Dainard – CFC50 St. Pauls – Winnipeg, MB
- Scott OβNeal – CFC50 Tantramar – Sackville, NB
- Heath Weir – CFC50 Huron Heights – Newmarket, ON
- Jeff Lawley – CFC50 Citadel – Halifax, NS
- Jean-FranΓ§ois Boisvert – CFC50 Seminaire St Francois – Quebec, QC
The selection of these coaches was relatively easy. They all coach, or in the case of Lawley, coached, at schools that have been dominant forces in their respective provinces. The list includes 7 of the 10 provinces; Neither PEI nor Newfoundland have high school football; and in the case of Alberta, I hope to interview a coach in the near future.
Advocating for football prospects one story at a time.