St. Francis Xavier X-Men | |
Born: | Mississauga, Ontario |
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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 | 5x AUS Coach of the Year (2015, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022) U Sports Coach of the Year (2022) |
Gary Waterman is the current 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 five-time Loney Bowl Champion and five-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]
Waterman 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]
After 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]
Waterman currently resides in Antigonish, Nova Scotia with his wife, Andrea. They have four children and one grandchild. [11]
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 | 5x AUS Coach of the Year (2015, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022) U Sports Coach of the Year (2022) |
Gary Waterman is the current 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 five-time Loney Bowl Champion and five-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]
Waterman 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]
After 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]
Waterman currently resides in Antigonish, Nova Scotia with his wife, Andrea. They have four children and one grandchild. [11]