After a season that could arguably be described as the best year ever for the Yorkton Minor Football program its coaches drew national notice as Roby Sharpe was put on the nine man nomination shortlist for the NFL's Canadian youth Coach of the Year award.
Sharpe and eight other coaches made the list out of 687 nominations and voting was done with the nine man shortlist by a panel of journalists and Football Canada and NFL officials. London's Dave Hocking won the 2012 honours and $5, 000 to his program with two other nominees taking $2, 000 in new equipment as runner ups. One of the runner ups was Trevor Allen Monaghan, a Wemindji band member who grew up in Ottawa, was awarded for his efforts in introducing Cree youth to football. Monaghan, a former University of Ottawa Gee Gee, has inspired a blossoming six man football movement amongst aboriginal youth in Northern Quebec. Monaghan's James Bay Eagles, represented Football Quebec in a recent Football Canada tournament and will receive $2,000 in new equipment to further help start up their program.
Sharpe, who was shortlisted for the award once before in 2007, was humble about drawing the recognition on the national level saying, "Obviously everyone who was nominated does great things for their programs and their communities and anyone who won was going to be a deserving winner." Sharpe and the yorkton Minor Football program have grown from having zero youth program to having two very successful teams at the Atom and Pee Wee level in the Regina Minor Football league as well as the YRHS Jr Raiders excelling in the RMF's Bantam ranks, playing in the RMF Champion-ship this year.
Sharpe credits his coaches for helping him grow the program and mentioned that he actually nominated his offensive coordinator Jason Boyda for the award for his work with the YMF program. Logan Wilk was also thanked in sending in the nomination, something Sharpe considered special as a former player took the time to submit him for the honor. "This all also wouldn't be possible without the support of the community, parents, players, local business sponsorships and the city," mentioned Sharpe who gives thanks to everyone who has helped grow YMF to the point it is at today.
Coach Sharpe may not have won the Coach of the Year award, but it is evident that the work of Yorkton and its minor football program has been paying off and the big watchful eyes of the NFL and Football Canada confirmed that in highlighting the program in its annual recognition of Canada's best youth programs and coaches.
