Gary Waterman is the head coach for St. Francis Xavier University's football team, the St. Francis Xavier X-Men, a position he has held since the 2009 U Sports season.[1] He is a six-time Loney Bowl Champion and six-time Atlantic University Sport Coach of the Year winner.[2] In 2022, he was awarded the Frank Tindall Trophy as the U Sports Football Coach of the Year.[3]
| St. Francis Xavier X-Men | |
| Born: | Mississauga, Ontario |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Head coach |
| University | St. Francis Xavier |
| Career history | |
| As coach | |
| 2006–2008 | St. Francis Xavier X-Men (DC) |
| 2009–present | St. Francis Xavier X-Men (HC) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Awards | 6x AUS Coach of the Year (2015, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023) U Sports Coach of the Year (2022) |
Playing career
editWaterman played CIAU football for the St. Francis Xavier X-Men from 1988 to 1992.[1] He played as running back and defensive back during his collegiate career while being named an AUS All-Star three times, team MVP three times, and served as a team captain twice.[1]
Coaching career
editAfter graduation, Waterman moved back to his hometown of Mississauga where he became a high school teacher for Father Michael Goetz Secondary School.[4] While teaching there, he coached football, basketball, and track and field.[1] He served as a guest coach in 2004 and 2005 for the St. Francis Xavier X-Men football team and was offered a role as the defensive coordinator in 2006. After serving as the team's defensive coordinator for three years, he was named the X-Men's head coach on January 16, 2009 and became the first St. Francis Xavier alumni to be named the team's head coach.[1][5] While he had 6–2 record and Loney Bowl appearance in his first year in 2009, the team only qualified for the playoffs once in the next four years.
After a return to the playoffs in 2014, Waterman and the X-Men ended a 19-year drought by finishing the 2015 season as Loney Bowl champions in a 14–12 win over the Mount Allison Mounties.[6] He was named the AUS Coach of the Year in 2015.[7] In 2016, the X-Men ended another 19-year drought by finishing the regular season in first place for the first time since 1997, along with capturing their second consecutive AUS title.[8] Waterman was again named the AUS Coach of the Year in 2016, although the team regressed to a third-place finish in 2017. In 2018, the team finished once again as Loney Bowl champions and Waterman won his third AUS Coach of the Year award.[7] In 2019, the team finished in last place in the AUS standings and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013. However, following the cancelled 2020 season, Waterman led the X-Men to an undefeated record as he won his fourth Loney Bowl title in 2021.[9] The team repeated as champions in 2022 with Waterman winning his fifth Loney Bowl title and being named the U Sports Coach of the Year for the first time in his career.[3][10]
Personal life
editWaterman currently resides in Antigonish, Nova Scotia with his wife, Andrea. They have four children and one grandchild.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Gary Waterman appointed X-Men football head coach". St. Francis Xavier athletics. January 16, 2009. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
- ^ "X-Men Football announces 2019 coaching staff". Port Hawkesbury Reporter. August 29, 2019.
- ^ a b "Laval's Kevin Mital wins 2022 Hec Crighton Award". U Sports. November 24, 2022.
- ^ "Getting to know your U Sports coaches: Gary Waterman, StFX X-Men". U Sports. March 29, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
- ^ "CIS Preview: St. Francis Xavier X-Men". Canadian Football League. August 24, 2010. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
- ^ "X-Men are 2015 AUS Loney Bowl champions!". St. Francis Xavier athletics. November 14, 2015. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
- ^ a b "AUS Men's Football Major Awards". Atlantic University Sport. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
- ^ "AUS 1997 Football Standings". Atlantic University Sport. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
- ^ "X-Men win 2021 AUS football championship". Atlantic University Sport. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
- ^ "STFX claim second consecutive AUS title with 21-14 Loney Bowl win over Mount Allison". Atlantic University Sport. November 12, 2022.
- ^ "Gary Waterman bio". St. Francis Xavier athletics. Retrieved May 16, 2020.