Mount Douglas Rams head coach Mark Townsend will be honoured tonight at the Westin Bayshore in Vancouver as part of the annual B.C. Lions Orange Helmet Awards, celebrating amateur football in the province.
Townsend — who led the Rams to three straight senior boys triple-A Subway Bowl championships before falling short in a fourth final this past November — will be named scholastic coach of the year at the ceremony, which also features former CFL and NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia as keynote speaker.
“I was very surprised,” said Townsend, who received word while at a coaching clinic in Seattle in February. “I’m very grateful for the support of the players, coaches, parents and school administration. I accept this on behalf of the entire program at Mount Douglas.
“It shines a positive light on football at the school,” added Townsend, who will head into his 12th season with the Rams next fall after first beginning coaching in the Greater Victoria Minor Football Association in 2000.
Townsend also played his community football in Victoria before joining the former Victoria Dolphins as an under-aged junior. He was then recruited to UBC as a quarterback for two seasons and then moved to Simon Fraser University for two years as a running back.
Following his collegiate career he was signed and had a brief stint with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1983.
“Mark takes a personal interest in all the players under his tutelage, sacrificing time and often his own money all in the name of helping those around him. He’s been described as a father-like figure to the players and instilling a family atmosphere with the program,” Football B.C. director of communications Daniel Fung wrote in an introduction.
“He takes time out especially to help mentor and assist at-risk students, encouraging them to make positive choices. Mark’s passion and commitment to the game of football are second-to-none. His passion and commitment towards his players manages to exceed even that.”
The marquee Orange Helmet Awards event also raises proceeds to support amateur football in the province and recognizes provincial champions for all levels of amateur football plus pioneers, coaches and lifetime achievers to the sport.
Previous keynote speakers have included former NFL stars Warren Moon, Herschel Walker and Doug Flutie, ESPN sportscaster Chris Berman and CFL great Anthony Calvillo.
The awards were started by the late Lions president and CEO Bob Ackles and the dinner, now in its 12th year, has raised more than $750,000.
Victoria’s Roy Vollinger, who coached Townsend, was previously honoured at the Orange Helmet Awards in 2012, as were Townsend’s championship Rams teams from 2011, 2012 and 2013. The team fell one game short of a perfect season in 2014.
