YORKTON - The name Brian Dobie is pretty much synonymous with football in Manitoba.
Dobie, who will be the keynote speaker at Football Night in Saskatchewan in Yorkton May 3, retired at the end of the last college season after 29 years as head coach of the University of Manitoba Bisons, assuming the position in 1996.
Dobie previously led the Churchill High School football program for 21 years, bringing his football coaching career to a full five decades.
The long-time coach admitted the coaching position “was one of those things I could have done until 103,” adding it was a decision he took some time to make. “I kind of weaned myself into the idea of retiring.”
Even now, while satisfied with his decision, the winningest coach in Bisons’ football history, admits he remains drawn to the stadium where he has spent so many hours coaching.
“My wife keeps warning me . . . That I’m going there too much,” he told Yorkton This Week in a recent interview, adding on reflection he agreed.
Of course that’s likely natural given his long-held desire to do what he did for near three decades.
“The Manitoba job is the job I always wanted,” he said, adding that desire goes back to when he played university ball there and knew one day he wanted to coach the Bisons.
“It was a goal for me.”
It was a goal that took some time to realize.
“I was a finalist for the job three times. I finally got it the third time,” said Dobie.
Once in the position Dobie said he never considered moving on.
“It was just home for me – home for the family,” said Dobie. “. . . That’s where we wanted to be.”
Dobie said a big part of it was 小蓝视频 surrounded each day by a bunch of 20-year-olds all “living the dream.”
“You can’t buy that energy. Can’t buy that vibe.”
As a result Dobie said coaching the Bisons “never felt like work.”
Not that the coaching career with the Bisons started all that well. The team went 3-21 over Dobie’s first three seasons at the helm.
“Struggling is a kind word,” he said of those early years.
But over 29-years, wins did come.
Dobie won the Canada West Coach of the Year award five times (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006) and was U Sports Coach of the Year in 2001. In 2001, Dobie helped guide Manitoba to a Vanier Cup berth – where they lost.
Then his career highlight season in 2007 when the Bisons completed a perfect season defeating the Saint Mary’s Huskies 28-14 in the Vanier Cup, finishing their season with a 12-0 record.
Dobie said he vividly recalled in 2001 his attitude was “we’re going to the Vanier Cup.” By 2007 it was “we’re going to Toronto to win. . . It was just the progression in the program.”
Through the years there have been many players who have went on to bigger things in football – some 63 athletes drafted by the CFL and two by the NFL.
Not all Dobie’s players went pro, but when asked about Yorkton’s Roby Sharpe, a Bison-alumni he enthused about the Regional High School coach.
“I can genuinely say I love Roby. He’s a combination of a son to me and an incredible life-long, very, very true friend,” he said.
Dobie said obviously Sharpe was not the biggest player, nor the most-talented but he “just did the work everyday.” He was the type of player all coaches want – one who worked to be the best he could be. “. . . He was a coach’s dream.”
So when Sharpe called – the pair are in contact often – and said he had a favour, Dobie said yes to the request he speak at the upcoming Yorkton football fundraiser.
“I’m pumped about it,” he said.
