CLUB
HISTORY
The
Regina Rams have been a highly successful sports organization for many years.
The Rams come from a long tradition of Canadian junior football which dates back
to the early part of the century when predecessors of the Rams captured national
titles in 1928 and 1938. Formed in 1954 from the amalgamation of two teams (the
Bombers and the Dales), the Rams participated in the Man-Sask Junior Football
League from 1954 to 1975. In 1976 the Rams joined with teams from Alberta to
establish the Prairie Football Conference in which the Rams participated until
1998, the Club's final year in junior football.
 In
1965 legendary Head Coach Gordon Currie joined the Regina Rams, having achieved
a record of success at the high school level that is unlikely ever to be
equaled. That same year he led the Rams to the Western Canadian Junior Final. In
1966 marked the construction of the Rams clubhouse at Mount Pleasant Sports Park
in Regina and the Club's first national title.
During the 33 football seasons from 1966 to 1998, the Regina Rams participated
in 17 Canadian Junior Football Championships, emerging with victories on 15
occasions (1966, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1993,
1994, 1995, 1997 and 1998), and defeated both CIAU and European opponents. More
than fifty former Regina Rams have moved on to the professional ranks in the
Canadian Football League.
After completing a 45 year history of junior football in 1998, the Regina Rams
embarked on a new challenge in 1999 as a member of the Canada West Conference of
the Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union. This was made possible by the
development of a community partnership agreement between the Regina Rams
Football Club Inc. and the University of Regina. In 2000, only their sophomore
season as a university football team, the Rams made a huge impact on CIAU
football by winning the Canada West conference championship (the Hardy Cup) and
the Atlantic Bowl national semi-final on their way to an appearance in the
Vanier Cup. They also appeared in the Hardy Cup in both 2001 and 2002.
Throughout their history the Rams have attempted not only to provide an
opportunity for young men to play competitive football at an elite level, but to
maintain a broader program which assists Rams athletes in their personal
development. This philosophy was embraced by current head coach Frank McCrystal,
who became head coach in 1984 after five years as the Club's defensive
coordinator, five years as a coach in the Regina Intercollegiate Football League
and five years as an all-star Regina Rams linebacker. Building on the Rams'
tradition and with an eye to the future, Coach McCrystal has been instrumental
in implementing many program enhancements during his tenure.
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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
In
1998 the Regina Rams Football Club, looking for new challenges and with a
substantial number of their players being University of Regina students,
presented a proposal to the University of Regina for a "community partnership"
under which the University, through the Regina Rams as a University of Regina
team, would participate in CIS football commencing in 1999. In the space of a
few months, the partnership agreement was concluded and the Canada West
conference unanimously approved the addition of a University of Regina football
team for the 1999 season and beyond.
The
arrangement between the University of Regina and the Regina Rams Football Club
is unique in university football in Canada. Broadly stated, the Rams'
organization has remained intact (its board being considered an advisory
committee to the University) with the community-based funding of the Rams'
operations continuing. In large measure, the Club remains financially
independent of the University and must pursue a broad range of fundraising
projects and activities in order to keep the program running.
The
Rams are enthusiastic about their partnership with the University and believe
that both parties are achieving substantial benefits from the relationship. The
arrangement is an example of the many positive things that can be accomplished
through a partnership between the University and the community.
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FACILITIES
 The
Rams' Clubhouse is located in the Centre for Kinesiology, Health Studies. It is
a state of the arts training facilities. There is a sizable weight room with
Olympic free weights, Nautilus-type weight machines, Stairmaster and stationary
bike. Televisions, stereos and computer terminals - on which players and coaches
can track the athletes' progress - are also in the room.
Down the hall from the weight room is the Team's main office. Offices for the
Head Coach, Offensive Co-ordinator, Defensive Co-ordinator and Marketing
Coordinator, as well as a Coaches' meeting room are located here. Continuing
down the hall from the offices is the trainers' room, and equipment manager's
room.
Located across from those rooms is a 2,500-square-foot locker room. The room
features 68 lockers, including 10 which are six inches wider than the others.
These larger lockers are for the team's 300-pound linemen. A folding wall
divides the room in half, creating meeting rooms for the offence and defence
squads. Each half contains a big-screen TV and a VCR for film work. Adjoined to
the locker room is a large sauna. The last major area is a memories room. This
room is where the board of directors hold their regular meetings. It has all the
modern multimedia equipment such as data projector and audio and video devices
with surround sound. This room also house all the team’s memorabilia.
By
walking out the south door and crossing a parking lot and a street, the Rams
will reach their fully lit practice field. The practice field uses a Sportexe
playing surface. The Rams play all of their home games at Mosaic Stadium at
Taylor Field.
Visit the Virtual Tour for more
detailed photos
and maps.
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SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Education has always been a cornerstone of the Rams' philosophy. Since 1989 the
Club has maintained a scholarship program which provides tuition assistance to
all Rams players attending post-secondary education. This program pays out
roughly $140,000 annually and is administered through the University of Regina
in accordance with CIS requirements.
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RAMS IN THE COMMUNITY
The
University of Regina Rams tries to provide the community with more than just a
winning football team. The Club hopes to promote a sense of community
involvement on the part of Rams athletes and to show appreciation for the
community support on which the Club relies to be financially independent. The
following is a list of some of the areas the Rams have been able to connect with
the community:
-
Paying scholarships to student athletes who will
be working in the community after graduation.
-
Teaching football to youth in the community -
Jon Ryan, Regina Youth Touch, Regina Minor (RMF) and High School football
camps.
-
Raising money for the Bob Ryan Scholarship which
will provide scholarships to the Regina Rams players and to the Saskatchewan
Cancer Agency.
-
KidSport - Donation to KidSport Saskatchewan
through monies and contra (fields and volunteers for the PowerAde
Challenge).
-
Inner City Youth - Part of the proceeds from the
Rolling Stones fifty-fifty was donated to the North Central Family Centre,
several game day tickets have been donated to various schools and several
members of the Rams organization have volunteered time for various school
sport outings.
-
Donating for prize request by charities
including:
Saskatchewan Health Youth Conference, Regina Youth Spiel, Mossing School of
Music, Canadian Paraplegic Association Wheelchair Relay, Football
Saskatchewan, Tele-Miracle, Southey Curling Club, Regina and District
Association for Community Living Spring Fling, Town of Hanley Arena, Regina
Catholic Schools Teachers Association Spring Council, Regina SaskPower
Social Club Golf Tournament, Steak Night in Support of Rob Baker - to pay
for homeopathic cancer fighting supplements, Casey Foundation Fundraiser
Evening - Children with Autism, Martin Collegiate After-Grad Social,
Fundraiser for Sasha West - to raise money for new Cystic Fibrosisvest,
PrintWest Classic for Parkinson's Fundraising Golf Tournament, Luther
College Golf Classic, Annual Courtney McNaught Circle of Courage Golf
Tournament, Queen City Kinsmen Gymnastic Club, Callie Curling Club and
various other groups.
-
Tackle for Hunger - Food for Food Bank. This is
a new program that has been established to help collect non-perishable food
items and monies for the Regina Food Bank.
-
Family Fun Day - tickets donated to Regina's
Youth.
-
Raise a Reader - hawking of newspapers and
collection of books.
-
Other volunteer annual partnerships - DQ Miracle
Day, Daffodils for the Cancer Society, MS Big Bike Tour, Raise A Reader.
-
Youth at Risk - help to set up, coordinate and
sell out the Man Show/ Woman's World Tradeshows - proceeds going to the Law
Enforcement Guardians (a provincial organization dedicated to increasing
funds and awareness for youth at risk in Saskatchewan).
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MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
 Hard
work and dedication on the part of the many people involved in the Club's
activities have allowed the Rams to maintain a quality program. The University
of Regina Rams are fortunate in having a highly skilled and experienced coaching
staff. Exclusively volunteers in the past, some of these coaches are now
part-time employees of the football program. The head coach is seconded to the
University of Regina on a full-time basis from his employment as a teacher at
LeBoldus High School in Regina. Bernie Schmidt, the Offensive Co-ordinator, is
also a full-time coach with the Rams Football Club, and during the football
season, Paul Dawson the Defensive Co-ordinator is seconded to the University
from his school board on a quarter time basis.
Off-field professional support includes the team manager (one of the Club's
directors), consulting physicians, physiotherapists, trainers and equipment
personnel.
Financial and administrative matters are managed by the Rams Board of Directors.
Coming from all walks of life, these volunteers work tirelessly to maintain the
high standards the Rams demand of themselves.
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COMMUNITY SUPPORT
The
Rams have always received tremendous fan support from Regina and area residents
and generous financial support from local sponsors and businesses. That support
is not taken for granted and is deeply appreciated. Community support has been
instrumental to the past successes of the Rams' program and will be even more
important as we operate at the university level.
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