Coaches Profiles | prairiefirefootball

Coach’s Name: Patrick Callan

Position: Head Coach

Football experience: Notre Dame Red Deer Alumni (2001-2003),

University of Calgary Alumni (2004-2008)

Number of years coaching: 8 Years

Calgary Colts, Notre Dame Bantam, Notre Dame Senior, Prairie Fire

Greatest football experience / success:

Got to start in my very first CIS game at the age of 17. Was the youngest player to start in Canada West Football (2004)
Winning Canada West in 2008 & competing in the National Semi Final.

Coaching Philosophy:

We need to create competitors. We need to create confidence in our players so that they may take chances on the field and in life.

Aside from winning football games our objective is to help the players within our communities grow and develop in the absence of hesitation and fear. I believe this is done through preparation, hard work discipline and most importantly passion.

Coach’s Name: Aaron Sheppard

Position: Defensive Coordinator

Football experience: Played and coached locally with Lindsay Thurber. Played and won a national championship at the U19 level.

Number of years coaching: Coached with Lindsay Thurber for 20 years, 7 years with the Fire

Greatest football experience / success: Watching individual players grow and develop in to great young people.

Coaching Philosophy: Form Character, Develop Skill, Inspire Selflessness

Coach’s Name: Adam Donovan

Position: Offensive Coordinator

Football experience: ND High School. University of Alberta. Red Deer Buccaneers.

Number of years coaching: 16 years

Greatest football experience / success: High School League Champs, Attending many great NCAA Coaching Clinics.

Coaching Philosophy: Football is one of the best metaphors for life and a great way to develop young adults. I coach to improve athletes by providing skills and knowledge they don’t have, constantly striving to be a better coach to create better athletes that become great people.

Coach’s Name: Jeremy Braitenback

Position: Receivers coach

Football experience: 4 Years with the Saskatoon Hilltops, 2 Years with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, 1 season with the Hamilton Tiger-cats

Number of years coaching: 20 years with the HJ Cody Lakers

Greatest football experience / success: Winning a Provincial Championship with the HJ Cody Lakers

Coaching Philosophy: You don’t play to win, you practice to win.

Coach’s Name: Devon Mappin

Position: Floater

Football experience: 3 years Stettler Wildcats, 6 years Central Alberta Buccaneers

Number of years coaching: 10

Greatest football experience / success: High school North provincial championship Game against Beaumont in 2004. We came back from a 14 point deficit with under 3 minutes to play had a chance to even win in regulation. Went to 4 overtimes before a winner was decided. Taught me if you believe in yourself and your teammates there is nothing you can't overcome if you keep working and grinding to get to the top of the mountain.

Coaching Philosophy: To develop athletes so they can be successful at the next level. Playing time is earned through competition, work ethic and character. I believe in putting the best on the field allowing them to work through adversity showing we believe in them allowing their confidence to grow as well as preparing their backups to be ready for when the oppurtunity arises to be successful. Instill pride in our team through pushing eachother to be our best while being supportive and always positive. The harder we prepare in practice the more fun we have on game day.

Coach Name: Cody Baird

Position: Linebackers

Football experience: Played with: Lacombe Raiders, Alberta Summer Games, Lacombe Rams, Calgary Colts, U of A bears, CA Bucs, Coaching: Ponoka Broncos HC, Summer Games DC, Prairie Fire LB's

Number of years coaching: 11

Greatest football experience / success: making the Alberta Summer Games team - it opened my eyes to football and showed me just how much the sport can positively impact someones life.

Coaching Philosophy: Lift your Brother.

Coach’s Name: Riley Quance

Position: Linebackers

Football experience: Played High School Football on the Stettler Wildcats and 8 years with the Red Deer Buccaneers.

Number of years coaching: 17 years - Rimbey Spartans, Lacombe Rams, and Prairie Fire

Greatest football experience / success: Watching individuals from a variety of backgrounds come together as a team.

Coaching Philosophy: Heart, Sacrifice, Commitment, and Courage will enable you to address any challenge in live.

Coach’s Name: Darren Strohschein

Position: Defensive Backs

Football experience: Twenty-three years combined coaching and playing spread out over 27 years.

Number of years coaching: Nine years combined: three high school, six Prairie Fire

Greatest football experience / success: Central Alberta Buccaneers defensive player of the year (2008)

Coaching Philosophy: To assist and challenge young people to grow in order to function effectively in the real world, all under the disguise of being a football coach.

Coach’s Name: Al “Gator” McQuay

Position: O-Line

Football experience: Swan Valley Regional Secondary School Tigers, Fort Gary Lions

Number of years coaching: 10 years at various levels

Greatest football experience / success: Watching my son play for Team Canada at the World Cup in Kuwait

Coaching Philosophy: Hard work does pay off.

Coach’s Name: Chris Harden

Position: Receivers/ Kickers

Football experience: A. E Peacock High School Moose Jaw 1993-1994, National Champion Regina Rams CJFL 1995, National Champion (1996) Saskatoon Hilltops 1996-1999, Abbotsford Airforce 1999, Red Deer Buccaneers 2002-2008.

Number of years coaching: 2015 Lindsay Thurber Raiders, 2016-Present Prairie Fire

Greatest football experience / success: 1996 CJFL National Championship

Coaching Philosophy: This quote says it all: “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can do what others can’t” Jerry Rice

Coach's Name: Chris Hawkes

Position: Quarterbacks

Football Experience: Involved in British Columbia community leagues and played pee wee, bantam, juvenile and junior football. Also played four years of university football at Simon Fraser University.

Number of years coaching: Coached over 35 years. This includes atom, bantam, midget and junior teams in British Columbia. Also coached junior varsity and senior varsity high school football in British Columbia and Alberta. I have been a position coach, offensive coordinator and head coach over my coaching tenure.

Greatest football experience/success: Over the years I have coached many young people and have come to the conclusion that I truly enjoy influencing their development and maturity as a player and team member.

Coaching Philosophy: I believe in teaching fundamentals coupled with technical skills; reinforcing self discipline and positive work habits in a collegial environment and embracing the team concept.

Coach's Name: Cory Pusey

Position: Running Backs

Coach Name: Eric Albert

Position: Wide Receivers

Football Experience: None, but I watched a lot! I unfortunately grew up in a town without a football program. I'm making up for it now.

Number of Years Coaching: Hunting Hills Bantam - 2 years

Greatest Football Experience: Attending the 2017 Ohio State Coach's Clinic

Coaching Philosophy: Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. - Vince Lombardi . I look forward to helping young athletes develop and master their craft and giving then the tools to push their limits. I am a strong believer that an athlete needs to develop mentally as well as physically in order to be successful, and to win. Having heart, the will to pursue your dreams, and the tenacity to lift yourself up when you get knocked down are attributes that you need to embody if you choose to excel in football.