The National Football League named John Svenson as the 2010 The Home Depot NFL Youth Coach of the Year.
The football program at Melville Comprehensive School will receive $5,000 in new football equipment as well as a $1,000 The Home Depot gift card for football related renovation projects - such as field repair, fixing bleachers, painting locker rooms, etc. Team Depot, The Home Depot's associate volunteer force, will also be available to offer hands-on support for the projects.
"John Svenson has had a positive impact on a lot of young football players in the province of Saskatchewan, and we're proud to recognize that," said Mike Danischew-sky, Football Development, NFL Canada. "He is a coach who exemplifies everything our award represents; a long-term commitment to coaching that goes beyond the win-loss column and strengthens the sport in his community."
In addition to leading the football program at his school, Svenson also helped develop local Parkland Pee Wee Football and coaches the league's Melville entry.
Svenson was selected from a short list of ten community and high school coaches from across Canada to receive the honour. More than 100 coaches from across Canada were nominated for the award. Svenson has been invited to Quebec City as a guest of the NFL for this year's Desjardins Vanier Cup celebrations, and will be honoured at the CIS Coaches breakfast on Friday, Nov-ember 26, 2010.
Benny Walchuk, a former player of Coach Svenson's at Melville Comprehensive, submitted the essay nominating his former coach.
"John Svenson been volunteering his time and effort to the school's football program for the past 18 years (coaching, repairing equipment, keeping the field in shape) while also helping us as a Guidance Counsellor and Shop teacher," said Walchuk.
"In the summer months he helps coach Team Saskatchewan and organizes games with teams from the United States. If you can find someone that does more for football in their community then hats off to you, because in my opinion there isn't anyone that does as much as Coach Svenson does for Melville."
Football players, volunteers, fans, administrators and fellow coaches submitted short essays recognizing the positive impact a youth football coach has had in their community. Nominators were asked to consider how their coach taught respect, safety, motivation, leadership and appreciation for the game of football when drafting their nominations. A panel of journalists and NFL officials selected the winner.
