A familiar name synonymous with
Calgary football is the recipient of the 5th Quarter Distinguished
Alumni Award for 2014, Wayne Harris, He has been involved with the Dinos
football program for the greater part of three decades as a player and coach.
Wayne played linebacker for the Dinos from
1977 through 1981 earning Conference all-star honours in his final three
seasons. He spent one season (1982) playing professionally with the Stampeders
before becoming a teacher with the Calgary Board of Education and becoming a
successful coach at the High School level. The peak of which was coaching Henry
Wise Wood High School to a city championship in 1992.
He assisted with various football
clinics and training camps before joining the coaching staff of the Dinos in
the 1990’s serving as a volunteer assistant coach. He was a member of the
coaching staff, serving as the linebackers coach in 1995 when the Dinos
captured the Vanier Cup under Head Coach Peter Connellan.
Wayne has been involved with the
Dinos since Blake Nill joined the program in 2006. He has been responsible for
coaching the linebackers and does the defensive play calling. He is regarded as
one of the top coaches in his area in Canadian university football. Wayne is known for his
attention to detail and preparation. He has been instrumental in coaching
numerous players that have gone on to play in the Canadian Football League.
In 2006 he was the recipient of
the prestigious Gino Fracas Award that goes to the volunteer assistant football
coach of the year in Canadian Interuniversity Sport.
Wayne’s son, James Harris played for the
Dinos for three seasons and helps coach with the Dinos on a volunteer basis as
well.
From a football family, Wayne is the son of
Canadian Football Hall of Famer Wayne Harris who played professionally with the
Stampeders for 12 seasons (1961 to 1972). Mr. Harris is regarded as greatest
Calgary Stampeder player in their history and is enshrined in the American
College Football Hall of Fame due to his stellar All-American career at the
University of Arkansas.
In 2012 the Harris Family
Linebacker Scholarship was created by the 5th Quarter recognizing
the contributions of the Harris family to the football fabric of Calgary. This endowed
award is presented annually to a linebacker on the Dinos football team.
The Dinos Football Team and the 5th
Quarter, would like to congratulate Wayne, on being the 2014 winner of the
Distinguished Alumni Award.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.