CANMORE – The Canmore Wolverines had their greatest season ever in 2018, winning an inaugural Tier IV provincial championship last November. As a result of the achievement, head coach Wade
Buckley won the Football Alberta’s 2018 Tier IV Coach of the Year.
Buckley won the award after coaching the high school team out of a 2-3 mid-season funk to win seven straight games en route to the provincial championship.
The historic season for the Wolverines included many franchise firsts such as winning back-to-back Big Sky League titles, winning their first playoff game and capturing the south provincial title.
“I feel like [the award] is a reflection of the team’s accomplishments,” said Buckley. “It’s an individual award, but I think it really recognized the 2018 Wolverines and what the players accomplished, going seven in a row and not being defeated when we were 2-3 as a record.”
A first time coach of the year winner, Buckley has coached the Wolverines for five seasons, four as head coach, where he and coach Spencer Rose established three key mandates for the program: reducing injuries, especially head injuries; accessibility for all, and creating a competitive football culture.
“The Wolverines are in an interesting area,” said Tim Enger, Executive Director at Football Alberta. “It’s full of skiers and outdoorsy people, so to put a football team there with no minor team below them and to have the results they did is spectacular.”
Buckley’s pleased that the Wolverines flag is proudly raised and established in the Bow Valley. The high school teacher enjoys seeing many athletes identify as football players.
“I think it’s nice to be able to put it on the mantel for sure, but in terms of overall to do with the Wolverines, it’s the relationship with the players that means so much more to me than awards,” Buckley said.
Some Wolverines players stated after the provincial championship victory that they dedicated it to Buckley.
Early in the season, the Wolverines hit rock bottom after a tough loss to the Drumheller Titans in October, dropping their record to 2-3.
It put the Wolverines in a tough position for the remainder of the season, fighting with their backs against the wall in two straight do or die games where the playoffs were on the line.
In dominant fashion, the Wolverines pulled it off and faced the Titans as the underdogs in the Big Sky League title match – the final game before playoffs.
The Wolverines showed up on the gridiron and had an inclusive effort from its defence, offence and special teams to shut out the Titans, 10-0, becoming back-to-back Big Sky champs for the first time.
When it counted, the Wolverines played their best football.
Up next for the club was an elusive playoff win that had haunted past teams, but they broke the curse and crushed the Willow Creek Cobras to advance to the southern Alberta provincial finals.
They met the best Tier IV team in Alberta, the W.R. Myers Rebels, and defeated them in a tense 21-20 game that came down to the final minute of the fourth quarter.
The dream season wasn’t over yet for the teenagers and coaches, as the Wolverines travelled to Fort McMurray to play against the St. Paul Lions in the provincial finals.
In snowy conditions and under the bright lights, the Wolverines took a bite out of the Lions to win it all, 24-10.
