HAMILTON, Ont. -- Phil Roberts, a McGill University graduate, has won the 2016 Gino Fracas Award, presented to the U Sports assistant football coach of the Year. Roberts has been the special teams coordinator at Queen's since 2013, capping a stellar 37-year coaching career.
 
Roberts, a retired teacher, earned a physical education degree in 1979 from McGill, where he played four seasons as a linebacker with the football team (1975 to 1978) and skated for one campaign with the hockey Redmen (1976-77). After graduation, he began his lengthy coaching tenure in 1979 with the Laval Scorpions of the Quebec Juvenile League, followed by three seasons with the Verdun Maple Leafs and Montreal Jr. Concordes of the CJFL.

He is best known for his tenure as head coach at Vanier College in Montreal from 1987 to 1991. There he produced championship teams and literally dozens of outstanding athletes that went on to star in the NCAA, CIS, NFL and CFL. 

"Canadian university football has relied significantly on quality volunteer assistant coaches to deliver varsity football programs on all of its campuses for more than a hundred years," said Queen's head coach Pat Sheahan, also a McGill graduate and former assistant coach with the Redmen, including their 1987 Vanier Cup championship season. "The list of previous Gino Fracas winners chronicles coaching excellence over several decades and Queen's University is pleased to have another great coach added this year. We salute Phil for a great career and a great run at Queen's. It has been said, that an organization is only as strong as its volunteers - the legendary Gino Fracas would have been proud of this one!

"Phil was a career educator in both Montreal and Ottawa for 32 years where he mentored and guided literally thousands of young Canadian students as they transitioned from high school to future walks of life."

He joined the university coaching ranks prior to his time at Vanier, as a linebackers coach with Concordia (1984-1986), followed by stints at the University of Ottawa (1992-1994), Carleton (1995-1998) and Concordia (2000-2003). After serving as a part-time assistant coach in the CFL, Roberts returned to the university scene as defensive coordinator with the University of Ottawa (2004-2008), then served a third term at Concordia (2008-2010), prior to joining the Gaels.

"Phil has been a pillar of Canadian university football for the better part of the past four decades as a volunteer [university] coach who conducted himself, at times, as though he were a full-time contributor," added Sheahan.
 
Roberts is married to his high school sweetheart, Sue, who herself is also a career teacher and coach. They have been married for the past 38 years and have four children – three daughters (Amy, Meagen and Michelle) and one son (Abraham).
 
Past Winners   
2015 Tom Norwell
2014 Rick Seaman
2013 Joe Taplin
2012 Ed Carleton
2011 Brian Cluff
2010 Larry Stewart
2009 Pierre Lefebvre
2008 Terry Chisholm
2007 Nigel Wilson
2006 Wayne Harris Jr.
2005 Richard Urbanovich
2004 Ross Lemke
2003 Rob Dalley
2002 Barry Radcliffe
2001 Frank Gesztesi
2000 Kevin Artichuk
1999 John Belmont 
1998 Mark Forsyth  
1997 Rita Sue Bolton
1996 Peter Regimbald
1995 Gary Kirchner, McGill
1994 Bill Miklas
1993 Bob Mullen
1992 Doug Smith
1991 Clarke Samways
1990 John MacNeil
1989 Phil Hughes
1988 Morgan Clark
 
About the Gino Fracas Award
This award is named to honour a man who has made a lifetime of outstanding contributions to amateur football. Gino Fracas moved right into a coaching role after his days with the Edmonton Eskimos with the University of Alberta head coach position. He led them to three league championships in the next four years. In 1963 his team won the Golden Bowl, the unofficial university National Championship and he also appeared in the very first Canadian College Bowl in 1965.
 
He was highly respected and admired for his dedication and commitment to the great sport of Canadian football. 2011 proves to be another great accomplishment by Gino, almost two years after his passing Gino was entered into the CFL Hall of Fame on September 17th, 2011 under the builder category.
 
The award created by Football Canada to pay recognition to the assistant coach that provides endless hours to improve the experience for the players and to support the other coaches. This award will ensure we continue to be able to recognize Gino's legacy within the game of football as it also continues to recognize the contribution of the assistant coach.
 
 
For further information, please contact:

Ken Saint-Eloy Manager, Communications, U Sports, Cell: 647-871-7595, ksainteloy@usports.ca
 
Alan Hudes Coordinator, Communications, U Sports, Cell: 647-991-5343, ahudes@usports.ca