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Volunteers score major awards for dedicated football service
"One of the guys on the executive (Pat O'Brien), I coached him when I was 17 and he was 13." The three husband-and-wife teams will be inducted into the Lifetime Service Club April 18 at the Courtenay Bay Inn. Ogden started coaching the Lancaster Ti-Cats peewee team in the mid 1970s and has been involved in the sport since, either as a coach or administrator. He's also coached peewee, bantam and high school in Saint John, Kennebecasis Valley and Lancaster and helped organize everything from international trips to taking tickets at high school games. "I had played for six or seven years but I had no idea about coaching," he said of his earliest steps with the whistle and chalkboard. "I was asked to go over and handle a few practices and no adults showed up. It was baptism by fire." He says making good on decisions in the boardroom or kitchen tables is critical to development in the sport, which enjoyed a 35 percent increase in registration in 2008. "Anybody can talk about doing things but to me, true leadership is taking action," Ogden said. "In teaching or coaching, the kids know who cares and they know who spends the time with them." This year's winners are the first in the category from Saint John since 2006, when Kevin and Elizabeth Clifford along with Rusty and Gisele Kirkpatrick were both recognized. They join a long list of some of the sports most dedicated coaches, officials and administrators. That includes Larry and Karen Harlow, Fran and Mary Hughes, Mike and Judy Upward and Phil and Joan McGarvey of Saint John. "They are all do-ers and one thing you realize is that it is the do-ers who make the world go around," Ogden said. Wilson and Murphy both started coaching in the mid-1980s with the Lancaster minor program and have stayed since. Both men credit the influence of Mike and Judy Upward for playing large roles in their involvement. "My wedding was booked around football," said Wilson, whose son Michael is named after Mike Upward. "Mike Upward and I were on the host committee for the 1988 AGM for Football Canada, which moved around in those days. It was in June and my wedding was in July. My wife jokes about it that she should have figured it out where she was on the priority list." Wilson has a self-described passion for organization and process and it has led him to a number of roles in the provincial association. He was the technical director for Football New Brunswick, president of the Fundy Minor Football association, active in officiating as well as a coach at Harbour View High, Lancaster peewee and junior girls programs. He also earned his certification to become a course conductor for coaches. "I have sort have touched on it from every different angle," Wilson said. "I just like doing different things. I like to be involved and I get a lot out of it. It really is a lot of fun." One of the reasons all the winners say they have enjoyed their experience is the other volunteers in similar position. In face, Wilson and Murphy started at the same time in football coaching and administration - with the same team. "I went because Arliss asked me for some help," Murphy joked of those early days in the mid 1980s with bantam teams in Lancaster. Murphy's resume is as impressive as Wilson's and Ogden's, with duty at the community, provincial and national levels in a variety of roles. They range from coaching, administration, officiating and other areas. For example, he is a member of Football New Brunswick executive as its director of non-contact programs, sits on a working committee for Football Canada and is the equipment manager for Fundy Minor Football, a major task each year for the local association. "It's the kids," he says of his motivation. "Football helps to keep them involved in sports in general. Hopefully, it give them some life lessons and as long as it puts a smile on their face." Each of the volunteers will be inducted with their wives during the ceremony. "Behind every good man is a better woman," Murphy said. "It is very nice that (FNB) does that. They are the ones who put up with all the time away." _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Three educators honoured Longtime football coach Fran Hughes may have been honoured Monday for his part in bringing high school football to the city, but that doesn't mean the end of his involvement with the sport. Just minutes after receiving a Saint John High School T-shirt and plaque in appreciation of his 30 years of coaching at the school, he was recruited by teacher Barry Ogden. "I'm going to need your help with that new Atlantic Football League we're starting," Ogden told him. "Just give me a holler," Hughes replied with a wave as he headed out the SJHS theatre door. Hughes, along with Fran McHugh and former Saint John High principal Dennis Knibb, were feted during an assembly at SJHS on Monday morning. McHugh and Hughes were both coaching at St. Malachy's Memorial High School back in 1969 when McHugh established the first high school football team in the city. The next year, Hughes went to SJHS and started a football team there. For McHugh, football's draw was that it involved a large number of students. "It was one activity with 50 kids involved, which meant it was very efficient," he said. "That was my big motivation. It was about character building." It wasn't easy to get the sport going, though, he recalls. "The administration at the time was quite fearful it was going to interfere with the rugby program. We met a lot of resistance, but once it proved to be an adjunct to the rugby program, it was a little easier after that. The beginning was very difficult." Hughes, who still coaches basketball at Rothesay High School, where he began his teaching career, retired from teaching 14 years ago. "It's amazing," he said, looking around the SJHS auditorium at the students who, unsolicited, gave the three men a standing ovation. "These kids don't even know me. It's pretty nice." McHugh coached football for 15 years and retired from teaching at St. Malachy's in 1995 after 34 years. He still goes to the games when he can. "It's very satisfying to see how it's grown not only in Saint John but throughout the province. It's a big sport now." Over the years, there have been many instances where people would confuse McHugh and Hughes. "I would get calls from people who thought I was Fran Hughes," McHugh said. "After a while I just stopped correcting them and went with it and pretended I was him. And he did a lot of that with me. We had a lot of fun with it over the years." Knibb, who retired in 1992, found the tribute "emotional. "It reflects the camaraderie between Saint John High and St. Malachy's and it's a tribute to the teachers who have given so much of their time to coaching and other extracurricular activities. "It's very humbling and very good to be back in the old school. "Vita vitalis," he said, reiterating the school's motto. Master of ceremonies Ogden said he organized the event to impress upon students the importance of giving back to the community. "They put in enormous time," he said. "These people need to be recognized and we need to do this in front of our youth so that they know when we're passing the torch, that they have to pick it up "They have been the benefactors of all this hard work and dedication. It's not just about teaching kids subjects and coaching teams and skills; it's about building character and commitment and discipline and a love for community." It's been 40 years since Knibb sent for Hughes to come to SJHS's phys ed program. "I just thought it was time that we said 'thank you,' " Ogden said. © 2009 Telegraph-Journal (New Brunswick) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Atlantic Football League to kick off with fall season;
Start Up Inaugural year will witness Moncton, Saint John, Fredericton
draw squads from local gridiron graduates Although details have yet to be finalized, Barry Ogden is optimistic the Atlantic Football League will kick off its inaugural season this fall. The community activist is spearheading a circuit that would include teams from Saint John, Fredericton and Moncton. "The players will be local,'' said Ogden, a teacher at Saint John High School. "Our young people are leaving. Why don't we create something that keeps our kids here and allows them to play at a higher level? We're creating a place for kids to play locally. The base is there.'' Ogden said the recent growth of minor football in the area and a healthy supply of high school football programs ensure there will be enough quality players to support a three-team fall league that would likely start in mid- September. He estimates it would cost between $22,000 and $24,000 to purchase enough equipment for a team of 40 players. After that amount is addressed, each team's budget would be about $5,000 for the season, estimates Ogden, adding fundraising and financial contributions from former football players and business people will help cover those costs. When asked to identify people or businesses interested in supporting the team, Ogden declined. "A lot of people in Saint John are keen to have a team,'' Ogden said. "Cost shouldn't prohibit you from playing.'' The tentative plan for the Saint John squad would see each player pay a registration fee of anywhere from $150 to $250 for six regular-season games, Ogden said. The Port City entry will be called the University of New Brunswick Saint John Seawolves and the Fredericton contingent will be called the UNB Red Bombers. Players wouldn't have to be enrolled at those institutions to play, however. For example, since the new league is composed of club teams, players at the community college in Saint John may be eligible to play for UNBSJ. The team from Moncton hasn't announced an affiliation or nickname. Ogden said the new loop will not affect the Maritime Football League, which runs during the summer months. The MFL already includes the UNBSJ Wolves, but the fall roster figures to include players that hadn't played for the summer team. "The fall (team's tryouts) will be more competitive,'' Ogden said, nothing there are three Saint John teams in the MFL. Ogden said the new league is turning its attention to writing a constitution and drafting a schedule. He's uncertain what venue would host the UNBSJ games. Aside from its existing MFL club, UNBSJ's other club sports include softball, women's hockey, co-ed running, co-ed soccer, cricket, table tennis, beach volleyball and Aikido. None of those teams are funded by the university. "We already have a football club,'' UNBSJ athletic director Dave Munro said. "The present club that's here already isn't funded by the university and the football club as it will exist this coming year won't be funded by the university, either. The concept is really good and I know Barry has been a real proponent of getting it going, but our club teams fund themselves.'' Still, Ogden is optimistic things will work out. In a notice to announce the launch of the league, he writes "there will be further announcements and meetings held for interested parties.'' © 2009 Telegraph-Journal (New Brunswick) ______________________________________________________________________ Fall football great news for region; Gridiron Maritime
commissioner says targeting younger athletes great for player development Darcy Barker believes there's room for more football in Saint John. In fact, the commissioner of the Maritime Football League would welcome another Port City pigskin team. "I think any football we can get in Eastern Canada is good,'' Barker said. "If you go to Quebec they have CEGEP football, and they have junior football in Ontario.'' If a new club does indeed take the field in the fall, it would be the University of New Brunswick Saint John Seawolves of the Atlantic Football League. Organizers of the AFL also plan to field teams in Fredericton and Moncton. The new league would target players aged 18-24 wishing to attend a post- secondary institution immediately after high school. Players in that category often have difficulty playing for university teams that are under the Canadian Interuniversity Sport umbrella. CIS teams often recruit older players who come to campus with CEGEP or junior football experience under their belts, making it difficult for players coming straight out of high school to make the grade on the college gridiron. Barker played high school football at Simonds with John Kane, who went on to play for Acadia. Kane, however, was the exception instead of the rule. "He was a 17-year-old rookie going against 20-year-old rookies,'' said Barker, now the head coach at Simonds. "John was probably the top prospect coming out of Atlantic Canada back then, but I know lots of high school kids who are just too small and too young (to play for CIS teams).'' Barker said the AFL would provide a good level of competition for players while providing an opportunity to live at or near home. The commissioner also feels there's a niche for a loop with younger players. The MFL included 10 teams in 2008, and Barker estimates that only about 20 per cent of the players were in the 18-20 age group. Most of the other 80 per cent, he said, would include players in their mid-20s to mid-30s. "There aren't too many guys who start in the MFL right out of high school,'' Barker said. "This (new league) might help players start right away. With the MFL, it's competitive, but it's also fun at the same time. When you look at this new league, it might be more competitive. "The big thing they would have going for them that we don't is that they'll be run by guys who aren't playing. One of the problems we have in our league is that it's hard to cut a buddy.'' The UNBSJ squad would be considered a club team. Unlike UNBSJ's varsity teams that are registered with the Atlantic Colleges Athletic Association, club teams do not receive funding from the university. That's why AFL organizers need to raise funds through their own efforts and the support of others. Community activist Barry Ogden announced Monday the AFL would begin play in the fall. The league still needs to develop an official schedule, constitution and decide on venues. Aside from serving as MFL commissioner, Barker also suited up as a lineman last season for one of the member clubs, the Saint John Longhorns. The Longhorns played their five home games at Millidgeville North Field. The team paid $200 per game and those funds went to the local school board, Barker said. The $1,000 facility fee is just part of a team's budget. "That would be their biggest cost, after the startup of buying gear,'' the commissioner said. Ogden said buying equipment for 40 players could cost as much as $24,000. After that, he said a team's yearly budget would be approximately $5,000. Ogden added that each player would likely be required to pay an annual registration fee of anywhere from $150 to $250. Plans call for each team to play six regular- season games. The MFL constitution requires each team to pay an annual member fee of $3, 500, and each player on every team must pay a minimum of $100. Each team played eight regular-season games last season. Like the MFL, the AFL likes the idea of a pre-season jamboree. "We're definitely going to support it,'' Barker said of the MFL's position on the new circuit. "For guys coming out of high school, it's probably their best option right now. "It could be very interesting. As long as they stay local, they can probably run their teams for $4,000 or $5,000 per season.'' Barker said volunteers could be a key in helping the league get off the ground, adding the area's passion for football will bring out plenty of helping hands. "The football community is pretty small, but it's pretty tightly-knit,'' he said. "We would just love to have more football in this area.'' Barker feels a successful AFL could generate enough money to warrant a berth in the CIS. That destination, however, isn't necessarily his prediction. "Anything is possible. If you can get the student body on board, they can go to the university and say 'Look what we're doing.' If you can bring 1,200 people or so out to a game, maybe it would be something they would be interested in (supporting).'' Dan Fougere is behind the effort to bring the AFL to Moncton. The head coach and general manager of the MFL's Moncton Marshals favours the formation of a junior team whose better players would be in position to eventually make a CIS squad. "I've always wanted to get a junior team started, so (the AFL) could be part of that,'' Fougere said. "I don't want to be affiliated with any university, because I don't want a university telling us how to run our league. "We all have our opinions on where we fit, and now we just have to compromise. It may not be exactly what I want, but it's a start.'' Fougere, the president of the Moncton Football Association and past president of Football New Brunswick, said there's lots of work to do between now and the hopeful kick off in mid-September. "The drawback I see happening is trying to get officials and working around the high school schedule,'' he said. "If we can work that out, I can't see why it won't fly.'' Fougere is also concerned about how the AFL will tackle corporate assistance. MFL teams come up with their own individual team plans, and the league doesn't work together on corporate packages. Fougere feels the AFL should have one plan as it pursues assistance from the business community. "The way the economy is going right now, the dollar is going to be tight,'' Fougere said. "We have to decide how we're going to splits costs. We can't wait until the last minute. "It's going to come to a point where we have to sit down for a whole day. We have to do that within a couple of weeks.'' Fougere hopes to know more concrete information about the Moncton team in May. He's hopeful of a cycle that would see AFL players give back to the game by refereeing and/or coaching minor football in the area. Former Fredericton High School head coach Larry Wisniewski is leading the charge in the Capital City. The club team would be called the UNB Red Bombers to honour the university team that ceased operations in 1980. "From a Fredericton point of view, going the UNB route was the marketing tool to go with, especially with the UNB Red Bombers name,'' said Terry McIntyre, a "resource person'' working with Wisniewski. "Those of us in the football community would support that because it's most viable. Even the kids coming up in the minor system know about the Red Bombers. It's like Greek mythology.'' The past president of the Capital Area Minor Football Association, McIntyre still sits on the board of directors. He was involved in helping minor teams play games at Chapman Field on the UNB campus. He's hopeful the same venue will be used for an AFL club. "I know there's time available to schedule games (at Chapman Field),'' McIntyre said. "With all-weather turf and lights, you can find time to schedule games.'' McIntyre said securing corporate sponsorship won't be a pivotal factor for the AFL, if costs are kept under control. "We haven't really tested the waters,'' the former Mount Allison defensive halfback said. "We're in the middle of a recession. These operations are going to be run quite frugally. Sponsors will not make or break (the AFL).'' McIntyre added the UNB team has interest in playing home-and-home dates with a club team at the University of Maine Orono, adding that a three-team AFL would create some bye weeks. He said such a series could become an annual tradition. Those games would also keep the Red Bombers sharp for their AFL season, McIntyre added. "I think there are three reasonably good groups involved here. There are people who've been involved in the game for a long time and people who've been involved with starting teams.'' _____________________________________________________________________ Fundy Minor Football wishes to announce
two new awards.
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