Frank McCrystal has announced he will retire as head coach of the University of Regina Rams football club at the end of the year.
“It has been a pleasure to work with so many great young kids during my tenure as head coach of the Rams,” McCrystal said in a news release Tuesday.
“I will look back at my time with this organization with great pride for what we accomplished and fond memories of the people I worked so closely with over the last three decades.”
McCrystal took the reins of the Rams in 1984 and coached the team during its last 15 seasons at the junior level.
The team won seven national junior championships under McCrystal, who was twice voted the Canadian Junior Football Coach of the Year.
McCrystal oversaw the team’s transition to collegiate play when the Rams joined the University of Regina and the Canada West Conference of the Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union.
He coached several standout players during his career, including the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Chris Getzlaf, Brendon LaBatte, Neal Hughes and Jason Clermont, as well as the Calgary Stampeders’ Brett Jones.
McCrystal also coached Akiem Hicks, Jon Ryan and Stefan Charles, who are now playing in the NFL.
“The University of Regina has been fortunate to have such a talented football coach in Frank McCrystal,” University of Regina athletic director Dick White said in the release.
“Frank’s dedication to his players and commitment to football is evident in the winning tradition that he helped build with this team over the last three decades.”
