Legendary Local High School Coach Retires After 33 Years
Posted November 1, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
After 33 long years on the gridiron, Central Tech football coach Chuck Wakefield admits he’s going downhill. “I think I’m going to go skiing,” he says, as he contemplates his retirement.
Wakefield has coached at the school since 1977 and he’ll step on the field for the last time on Friday.
“Well, you know, it’s tough,” he admits, when asked about walking away from the game. “But sometimes, you know when it’s time. And this year’s time.”
“It’s getting tougher every year, and a number of things have happened around here this year. It’s just not quite what it used to be, so it’s time to try something else.”
Wakefield has a lifetime of coaching memories, but one of the most vivid took place back in 1979. Central Tech was playing North Toronto for the city championships. Central Tech had such a surly reputation, that officials said if they won, they wouldn’t give them the trophy.
“It was a big old gold trophy and so the word came down that if North Toronto wins this they can keep the trophy. If Central Tech wins, take the trophy before they get it,” he recalls with a hearty chuckle.
“We waxed North Toronto pretty good.”
It goes without saying that Wakefield has affected hundreds of kids’ lives over the years, including a pair of former players who ended up with the B.C. Lions.
“He’s still one of the people I consider huge friends,” said Mike Benevides, Assistant Coach with the B.C. “A t the time you don’t know that but he certainly had a huge impact on my life and he’s one of my favourite people for sure.”
“He always encouraged us to do well in school,” adds Lions Linebacker Nautyn McKay-Loesher. “If football got us further, than it did, but he never stressed it.”
