Time Reflecting 

As I stop and think quickly about the time that has passed and on the impact of cretin decisions I have made in life looking back it is wonderful to remember the great memories and hardwork that went into laying the foundation of a Turnaround in football faith for Mount Allison University. When I was a football player there we went through some difficult times, the program had been rocked my controversy, the funding was dismal, and the on field results were less than inspiring. I know what it is like to loose a football game 70-0,  or even 63-3 courtesy of  Saint FX and Acadia University, the mid 2000’s football teams of  Mount Allison University was built on heart, courage, perseverance, determination and willpower.

3 Years Without Victory

I use those words to describe a team that suffered 34 straight  losses, 3 straight seasons in a row without a victory just thinking about it makes me quiver however I never stopped living or being proud to be a Mountie. In those seasons we sustained and held on when everyone wrote us up, laughed and or just plain felt sorry for us. Sports commentators  such as Alex J Walling of TSN at the time was calling for our program to be axed, and respected regional sports writers like Montey Mosher for the Chronicle Herald would sometimes try to find a silver lining of hope, as here remembered the success of the past  but even than would sometimes echo a similar message it was hard for some many, overwhelming for some many quit the team and or just stopped showing up.

Blake Nill’s  Dominating Teams

The Mount Allison University Varsity Football program took a deep step down from grace on the field.  Achievements of teams from the mid 80’s and 90’s became a distant memory there was a big void left in the 1999 and 2000 seasons as the program was shaken up by coaching changes,  a management overhaul and quick collapse in institutional support. At the same time the arrival of Blake Nill and the Saint Mary’s University Football Huskies became the story of the decade early on, they were the big bad boys of east in Canadian university football, they successfully compiled a roster that was CFL worthy in size, age and athletic dominance. Many of the changes made to the academic/athletic varsity eligibility requirements in the CIS were made because of those teams formed I am confident and sure. They had a dynasty winning several AUS championships and wining multiple National CIS Vanier Cup titles.

As a young teenager and football player I had a front row seat to those incredible teams Blake Nill put together from the top down it was a well runned organization with the complete support of the city of Halifax behind them Saint Mary’s University football became the best of the best in the country at the time their only real competition was the Laval Rouge Or. During my senior year with success I had on the field and in the classroom I was recruited early by Saint Mary’s University as a top Nova Scotia recruit. In my conversations with Blake Nill, he said he wanted me to develop and eventually fill the role Sabsitan Clovis an All-Canadian at the time he was a Strong Side linebacker, with great athletic ability I knew I going into that program I would do well.  I verbally committed to Saint Mary’s University, in January 2003 it was an easy decision however things would eventually change.

Embracing The Struggle 

Meanwhile Mount Allison was in a struggle to simply put a team on the field. A coach was hired named Scott Fawcett, he had CFL experience was a great manager, and knew how to organize and control a team, his arrival and recruitment ability saved Mount Allison University. He sold the opportunity to turn around a program, went after all the top players in the country and landed several of them. Although the teams did not have on field success, I believe those teams endured the struggle and kept the ship a float while bigger and better things where coming ahead the arrival of Kelly Huges, Bradley Daye and Gary Ross under the Steve Lalonde administration in 2007 paved the path for the success the team currently is having this I am also very confident and sure.
The Foundation Is Made 

I strongly bewasn’t for Doctor Kenith Ozman former president of Saint Mary’s University and Halifax City Councillor coming into the fold, there is a strong chance that the 2004 and 2005 seasons might have never of happened. Together with the alumni, community and a handful of impact high quality football players the Mounties

Why Mount Allison

When I decided to go to Mount Allison University I turned down a verbal commitment to attend Saint Mary’s University, at the time the countries best football program, and home to one of Canada’s best business programs, The Sobey’s School of Business. I decided to attend Mount Allison with the support and encouragement of my Grandmother who wanted me to leave Nova Scotia for post secondary school. Mount Allison was also a well respected top liberal arts school and I knew I would get a great education. I was actively recruited to play University Football, I finished my senior as the Defensive MVP of the province, started at Linebacker for the Nova Scotia provincial team

 

so followed my High School Coach and Football mentor Alan Wetmore who was the Defensive Coordinator at the time. It was a