AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Gino Fracas Award
Tom Cheney Award
Bill Leveridge Memorial Award
Football Canada / CFL Award of Merit Winners
Jeffrey St. Pierre Memorial Award
Sponsors Award
Bill McEwen Bursary

Gino Fracas Award

Volunteer coaches are instrumental and indispensable to the success of CIS football programs.

Football Canada realizes the depth of this commitment and the important role of the volunteer coach in the CIS.  To this end, Football Canada, in conjunction with the CIS and the Vanier Cup Managing Committee, present the Gino Fracas Award to the country’s top Volunteer CIS Assistant Coach.  The award is so named to recognize the many contributions Gino Fracas has made to the game of football and the great number of his assistants who have gone on to full-time employment in the CIS.

Gino Fracas Award Guidelines
Gino Fracas Nomination Form

PAST WINNERS:

2006 Wayne Harris Jr., University of Calgary
2005 Richard Urbanovich, University of Manitoba
2004 Ross Lemke, Université de Montréal
2003 Rob Dalley, Wilfrid Laurier University
2002 Barry Radcliffe, University of Saskatchewan
2001 Frank Gesztesi, McMaster University
2000 Kevin Artichuk, St. Francis Xavier University
1999 John Belmont, University of Alberta
1998 Mark Forsyth, McMaster University
1997 Rita Sue Bolton, Queen’s University
1996 Peter Regimbald, Concordia University
1995 Gary Kirchner, McGill University
1994 Bill Miklas, Queen’s University
1993 Bob Mullen, Queen’s University
1992 Doug Smith, University of Toronto
1991 Clarke Samways, University of Western Ontario
1990 John MacNeil, Mount Allison University
1989 Phil Hughes, St. Francis Xavier University
1988 Morgan Clark, University of Windsor

Back to top

Tom Cheney Award

The Tom Cheney Award was named after the late Tom Cheney, Football official and educator, a member of the Calgary Football Officials’ Association, a field official in all levels of football from minor league to CFL, an original member of the Officials’ Working Committee and the Editor of the Football Canada Officials’ Training Manual.

His coordination of the material for the Manual was responsible for the excellence of that manual, which is respectfully dedicated to Tom.

After his death, in 1977, the CFOA executive purchased a trophy named for Tom.  In view of his long years of dedicated service to the improvement of officiating, it was decided that the trophy would be awarded bi-annually to the person who most nearly approached the Cheney level.  The Award is, therefore, given for “outstanding contribution and service toward the improvement of football officiating in Canada.”

It is fairly obvious that such a contribution and such service will be built up over a number of years - although this does not preclude an outstanding effort in a single year.  At the same time, the performance should be within the reasonably recent past - say the last 10 years, rather than something which happened 30 years ago.  Once again, there should be enough flexibility in the decision making process to allow for variations in recommendations.

The type of criteria by which such outstanding contributions may be evaluated will probably include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:

1. Executive-type position on local, provincial or national officials’ association, where the effect of his/her leadership has moved the association forward in officiating competency.
2. Clinician on local, provincial or national clinics, where the knowledge and ability to impart the knowledge to other officials has produced a marked improvement in officiating competency.
3. Organizer of clinics, meetings, or other educational forums whose purpose is to improve officiating competency.
4. Developer of educational material, such as rule material, case book material, manual material, teaching and instructional techniques, visual aid Material, or any other type of instructional material, on a local, provincial, or national basis, whose purpose is to improve officiating competency.
5. Evaluator of officiating performance at the local, provincial or national level, where the result of such evaluations and constructive criticism has produced a noticeable improvement in officiating competency.
6. Field official work: while it is not necessary that the person be an outstanding field official, it is probable that the person would be a competent field official.  The fact that the person is an outstanding field official only, without some or all of the capabilities covered in 1 to 5, would not normally make the person a candidate for the Tom Cheney Award.

In making the final selection, the CFOA executive should be provided with as much supporting data as possible as evidence of the contribution and service of the individual recommended.  Concrete results, e.g. publications, number of clinics held, number of officials trained, etc., should also be provided as evidence of the effectiveness of the contribution.

PAST WINNERS:

2006 Murray Taylor, Toronto
2004 Vern Heath, Calgary
2002 Jack Leitch, Toronto
2000 Ron Walsh, Saskatoon
1998 Bill Glendinning, Moncton
1996 Don Kent, Regina
1994 Bernie Young, Montreal
1992 Dave Shields, Ottawa
1990 Ken Green, Toronto
1988 Tip Logan, Hamilton
1986 Harold Ferguson, Edmonton
1984 Jacques Decarrie, Montreal
1982 Bob Turnbull, Winnipeg
1980 Wayne Fleming, Edmonton
1978 Jack Gurney, Ottawa

Back to top

Bill Leveridge Memorial Award

Established by Mr. David Rothstein of Winnipeg in 1984 in commemoration of the tireless and dedicated contribution that Bill Leveridge made to the game of football in Canada.  This award is to be presented annually to an individual(s) who, through their behind the scenes work, make significant contribution to the development of amateur football in their province. Further, their efforts should reflect the kindred spirit and undaunted loyalty to the game that characterized Bill Leveridge’s life.

For these reasons, the National Office automatically approves the recommendation of the provincial organization which is hosting the Annual General Meeting.  In other words, the awards’ committee is convinced that the local provincial executive is more aware of the kind of person who should receive this award named in honour of such a distinguished amateur football great - Bill Leveridge.

If Football Canada hosts the Annual General Meeting, the Football Canada National Office will work with the provinces to select a winner for this award.

The National Office looks forward to receiving the nomination selected by the HOC Executive which should be forwarded to the National Office.  The nomination should be accompanied by appropriate documentation and submitted by January 5th of any given year.

PAST WINNERS:

2006  Walter Wettges, Dunnville
2003  Paul McCracken, Edmonton
2002  John Smith, Ottawa
2001  Terry McIntyre, Fredericton
2000  Jim McMillan, Winnipeg
1999  Brock Jacobs, Calgary
1998  Larry W. Smith, Montreal
1995  Larry Reda, Vancouver
1994  Eugene Trickett, St. John’s
1993  Jim Foubister, Winnipeg
1992  Keith Ewenson, Montreal
1991  Murray Sawa, Regina
1990  Tom White, Charlottetown
1989  Keith Evans, Calgary
1988  John Gould, Riverview
1987  Sherry Wishart, Thunder Bay
1986  Betty and Ken Senior, Vancouver
1985  William Massad, Ottawa

Back to top

Football Canada / CFL Award of Merit

This award of long tradition, for an outstanding lifetime contribution to football in Canada, used to be made annually at the Grey Cup Dinner.  All parties concerned agreed that it was more suitable to make this award at the President’s Dinner/Banquet at the Annual General Meeting.  The award is prepared to select one to two recipients in any given year.  Usually the award winners are selected from the area in which the AGM is hosted.

It is appropriate for any or all provincial associations to make nominations. Some recipients are nominated two or three years before they are selected and then held to an appropriate year when the AGM is in their area.  The selection committee believes that recipients receiving this award receive greater recognition and honour if the presentation is in front of a knowledgeable audience which is familiar with their contribution.  Budget constraints also dictate that we cannot bring people from one end of the country to receive the award.

PAST WINNERS:

2006	Jack Leitch, Toronto
2002	Ken Green, Scarborough
2001	Ed Edmonds, Moncton
	Mike Dollimore, Fredericton
	Kevin Artichuk, Riverview
2000	Don Van Achte, Winnipeg
	Lloyd Urbanowski, Winnipeg
	Hal Perkins, Winnipeg
1999	Ted Bancks, Calgary
	John Belmont, Edmonton
	Frank Bryson, Calgary
1998	Bill Quinter, Vancouver
	Peter Connellan, Calgary
	Jim Hurd, Ottawa
1995	Henry Lane, Ottawa
	Chuck Paul, Ottawa
1994	Gary Fudge, St. John’s
	Hugh Riddler, St. John’s
	Roger Collette, Moncton
1993	Ed Applin, Winnipeg
	Neil Payne, Winnipeg
	Gord Cooke, Winnipeg
	Ron Hallock, Winnipeg
1992	Bruce Coulter, Montreal
	Terry Gilead, Montreal
	Steve Mullin, Moncton
1991	Don McDonald, Saskatoon
	Jerry Zbytniuk, Regina
	Bill Hawryluk, Regina
1990	Gary Mancuso, Charlottetown
	Ron Paschal, Moncton
1989	Gary DeMann, Calgary
	Les Ferguson, Calgary
	Frank Morris
1988	Bill Glendinning, Moncton
	Benny Oleszczuk, Montreal
	Joe Pistilli, Chateauguay
1987	Jim Donlevy, Edmonton
	Gino Fracas, Windsor
	Sid Forster, Copper Cliff
1986	Jim Jordan, Vancouver
	Dennis Veitch, Vancouver
	Ed Henick, Saskatoon
1985	Tony Berwanger, Montreal
	Dick Criddle, Halifax
	Jake Gaudaur, Toronto
	Jerry Joynt, Calgary
	Len Trudel, Ottawa
1984	Gus MacFarlane, Charlottetown
	Ken Fulz
	Jimmy Simpson
	Bob Geary
1983	Frank Cosentino, Hamilton
	Greg Fulton, Calgary
	Pat Keelan, Winnipeg
	James Foubister, Winnipeg
	Gord Walker, Toronto
1982	Special clock award presented by the Grey Cup Committee in recognition of the Centennial year of the Canadian Amateur Football Association
1981	Bob Hayes, Halifax
	Don Holtby, Ottawa
	Lloyd Norton, St. Catharines
	Jeffrey St. Pierre, Montreal (In Commemoration)
1980	Dan Shaw, Toronto
	Jim Course, Halifax
	Britt Jessup, North Bay
	Joe Kanuka, Regina
	Maurice Chilton, Sarnia

Back to top

Jeffrey St. Pierre Memorial Award

Established by the Football Canada Board of Directors in 2000 in commemoration of the tireless and dedicated contribution that Jeffrey St. Pierre made to many areas in the game of football in Canada, including officiating, coaching and administration. This award is to be presented annually to an Executive member of the AGM Host Provincial Football organization who has made a positive contribution over a long period of time to various aspects of football in their Province.

If Football Canada hosts the Annual General Meeting, the Football Canada National Office will work with the provinces to select a winner for this award.

The National Office looks forward to receiving the nomination selected by the HOC Executive, which should be forwarded to the National Office.  The nomination should be accompanied by appropriate documentation and submitted by January 5th of any given year.

Sponsors Award

The Board of Directors recognizes a major contribution by a sponsor by nominating the recipient for a special award at the President’s Dinner/Banquet.

Back to top

Bill McEwen Bursary

There will be an annual $500.00 bursary available to a Canadian Amateur Football Player who is 19 or under with exemplary football credentials and high academic standards, and has been accepted for their first year of post-secondary education.  (Documented papers of acceptance must accompany nomination.)

In assessing the nominees, the Selection Committee will evaluate their contribution to Football using the following criteria:

1. Age
2. Years playing football & progression
3. On-field performance
4. Academic standards

All nominations must be forwarded to Football Canada and endorsed by the player’s head coach and the President of the Provincial Governing Body by September 1st of each year.

Once a winner has been declared, the nominating Province and recipient will be notified and a cheque will be issued to the post-secondary institution after confirmation of enrollment.

The winner is to be recognized at an official Provincial Amateur Football Function to complete the award program.

Back to top