Guelph homecoming game takes on extra meaning for father-and-son football coaches
The University of Guelph homecoming weekend saw the Gryphons football squad take to the field with a heartwarming duo behind the bench.
This year’s game was more than just a welcome back for students, there was also a family affair years in the making.
It all started as a shared passion for a sport that has bonded a father and son for decades.
“I grew up in football stadiums. I was the water boy for the Concordia Stingers. I grew up going to ball parks and watching the McGill football team as well as the Concordia football team,” said Ryan Sheahan, U of G’s head football coach.
Ryan and his dad, Pat, have coached university football teams across the country, with the elder Sheahan’s career spanning over 40 years.
Now the tables have turned, instead of the son following the father, this time the father is following the son.
“My wife insisted that if I was going to continue in coaching I might as well come and help him,” said Pat. “He’s all in here, and I know what he’s experiencing as the head football coach. You’re like the CEO of a company.”
“It’s fun to work together. We have a lot of great conversations. We get to chat about a lore more than just football too. It’s a lot about X’s and O’s and making sure people are ready to perform each week,” added Ryan.
The pair were previously at Queen’s University where Pat was the head coach and Ryan the assistant.
Their first game together in their new roles happens to see their Guelph Gryphons take on the Queen’s Gaels in the homecoming football match.
“The homecoming game is an opportunity to come back and relive those memories and reacquaint yourself with your campus, your friends, that kind of thing,” said Pat.
The Sheahan’s say football has given them a chance not only to bond, but help shape the lives of young athletes.
“It’s definitely been a great ride so far this fall and hopefully it’s something we get to continue for the next few years,” Ryan explained.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What weather experts say to expect this summer in Canada
Get ready to feel the heat, Canada. Weather experts are predicting more sunshine and warmer temperatures for the summer.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.
Israel sends tanks into Rafah on raids amid Gaza-wide offensive
Israeli tanks mounted raids across Rafah in defiance of the World Court for a second day on Wednesday, after Washington said the assault did not amount to a major ground operation in the southern Gazan city that U.S. officials have warned Israel to avoid.
Five more Ontario school boards join lawsuit against social media platforms
Five additional Ontario school boards and two independent private schools have joined a lawsuit against the owners of multiple social media platforms, including Snapchat, TikTok, and Facebook.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
In bizarre provocation, North Korea flies trash, manure balloons over the South
North Korea flew hundreds of balloons carrying trash and manure toward South Korea in one of its most bizarre provocations against its rival in years, prompting the South’s military to mobilize chemical and explosive response teams to recover objects and debris in different parts of the country.
Introducing peanut butter during infancy can help protect against a peanut allergy later on, new study finds
New evidence suggests that feeding children smooth peanut butter during infancy and early childhood can help reduce their risk of developing a peanut allergy even years later.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.