CIS football Saint Mary’s Sumarah named coach of the year

Becomes the third SMU Football Coach to capure the award

CIS Communcations

November 27, 2009

QUEBEC CITY (CIS) – Saint Mary’s University’s Steve Sumarah is the 2009 recipient of the Frank Tindall trophy as the coach of the year in CIS football, presented by Coaches of Canada.

A first-time winner, Sumarah was honoured Friday morning during the CIS Coach of the Year Breakfast at Palais des arts.

The native of Halifax became the third Huskies sideline boss to capture the prestigious award since its inception in 1969. Blake Nill, his predecessor at Saint Mary’s who took over the Calgary Dinos program in 2006, was honoured in 1999, while the late Larry Uteck received the trophy in 1988 and 1993.

In his fourth campaign at the helm, Sumarah was named AUS coach of the year for the third straight season after he led the Huskies to a third consecutive first-place finish with identical 7-1 records. The Huskies went on to capture the AUS title for the third year in a row thanks to a 31-22 Loney Bowl win over the StFX X-Men.

After opening the 2009 schedule with a 24-19 loss to StFX on September 12, the Huskies went on an eight-game winning streak including interlock victories over Quebec rivals Sherbrooke and McGill.

Saint Mary’s led the AUS in both points scored (266) and points allowed (119) in the regular season as ten Huskies found their way to the conference all-star team.

A former receiver at Saint Mary’s, Sumarah has been part of the Huskies’ coaching staff for 12 years including four Vanier Cup appearances and a pair of national championships (2001, 2002) as offensive coordinator. He led the Huskies to a return appearance in the Vanier Cup in his second season as head coach in 2007.

Prior to joining the Saint Mary’s staff, Sumarah coached at SFX and in the AF2 (Arena League), and worked at five CFL training camps. He was named Football Nova Scotia coach of the year in 1999 and was named AUS volunteer coach of the year in 2000.

Laval’s Glen Constantin, Wilfrid Laurier’s Gary Jeffries and Calgary’s Blake Nill were the other finalists for the Frank Tindall trophy.

The 2009 Desjardins Vanier Cup will see the No. 4-ranked Queen’s Gaels (10-1) battle the No. 2 Calgary Dinos (10-1) Saturday at 12 noon at Université Laval’s PEPS Stadium. The CIS football national final is televised live on TSN and Radio-Canada.

For all the info on the 2009 Desjardins Vanier Cup, visit: www.vaniercup.com <http://www.vaniercup.com/>

2009 FRANK TINDALL TROPHY NOMINEES

AUFC: Steve Sumarah, Saint Mary’s (recipient)
QUFL: Glen Constantin, Laval
OUA: Gary Jeffries, Wilfrid Laurier
Canada West: Blake Nill, Calgary

PAST WINNERS: FRANK TINDALL TROPHY (CIS coach of the year)

2008 Pat Sheahan, Queen’s

2007 Frank McCrystal, Regina
2006 Denis Piché, Ottawa
2005 Glen Constantin, Laval
2004 Jerry Friesen, Alberta
2003 Gary Jeffries, Wilfrid Laurier
2002 Chuck McMann, McGill
2001 Brian Dobie, Manitoba
2000 Greg Marshall, McMaster
1999 Blake Nill, Saint Mary's
1998 Larry Haylor, Western
1997 John Stevens, StFX
1996 Dan McNally, Guelph
1995 Rick Zmich, Wilfrid Laurier
1994 Brian Towriss, Saskatchewan
1993 Larry Uteck, Saint Mary's
1992 Ian Breck, Bishop's
1991 Rich Newbrough, Wilfrid Laurier
1990 Larry Haylor, Western
1989 Dave Knight, Waterloo
1988 Larry Uteck, Saint Mary's
1987 Frank Smith, UBC
1986 Bruce Coulter, Bishop's
1985 Peter Connellan, Calgary
1984 Steve Bruno, Mount Allison
1983 Doug Hargreaves, Queen's
1982 Bernie Custis, McMaster
1981 John Huard, Acadia
1980 Cam Innes, Ottawa
1979 Dave "Tuffy" Knight, Wilfrid Laurier
1978 Frank Smith, UBC
1977 Peter Connellan, Calgary
1976 Darwin Semotiuk, Western
1975 Don Gilbert, Ottawa
1974 Ron Murphy, Toronto
1973 Ed Hilton, UPEI
1972 Dave "Tuffy" Knight, Wilfrid Laurier
1971 Jim Donlevy, Alberta
1970 Frank Cosentino, Western
1969 Henry Janzen, Manitoba