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Football
High School, Junior &
University Levels
Canada West University Champion
Atlantic Bowl Champion
Vanier Cup Runner-Up
1967-1976
 Don
Siler moved to Wetaskiwin with his family when he was twelve years old.
With an athletic older brother involved in sports it was only natural
that Don do the same. As a youngster he was involved in hockey,
fastball and track and field. It wasn’t until high school that he
participated in football. After graduating from the Wetaskwin High
School Sabre football program, Don continued his football career and
played Junior Football with the Calgary Mohawks and then University
Football with the Calgary Dinos. As the Dinos quarterback, Don led his
team to their first ever Canada West Championship, their first Atlantic
Bowl Championship and first Vanier Cup Final.
When Don started playing football in
grade ten, because of his small stature, he played receiver on a limited
basis and was content to assist as an equipment manager. It wasn’t
until he was in grade eleven that he experienced growth and was able to
move up to play quarterback and place kicker. Because of his athletic
ability, in grade twelve Don was awarded the Wetaskiwin Composite High
School Male Athlete of the Year (1969).
In 1970, Don had the opportunity
to play junior football with the Red Deer Packers but because his older
brother Richard was playing with the Calgary Junior Mohawks, Don chose
to play for the Mohawks and room with Richard. The first year he played
linebacker and the next two years he played quarterback and
place-kicker. As a quarterback, he displayed excellent passing and
running abilities and was very dependable with play calling. In 1971,
Don was chosen “Second Team All-Star” and in 1972, his last season with
the Mohawks, he was awarded the Mohawks MVP trophy and chosen to the
AJFL First All-Star Team.
Led Dinos to Their First Ever
Canada West
Championship
In 1973, Don enrolled in the Faculty of
Education at the University of Calgary and started playing football with
the Dinos under head coach Mike Laschuk. During Don’s four year tenure
with the team he was the starting quarterback and team co-captain. He
was also place-kicker for the first three years. In 1975, with Don as
quarterback, the
 Dinos won the Canada West Championship for the first
time and were awarded the Hardy Trophy. As Western Conference Champions
they continued on to the interuniversity playoffs where they won the
Atlantic Bowl defeating the Acadia Axemen 38-16 in Huskies Stadium in
Halifax. They then advanced to the 11th Vanier Cup to decide the
Canadian University Athletic Union football Champions.
The 1975 Vanier Cup was played at
Exhibition Stadium in Toronto in front of 17,841 fans. Opponents of
the U of C Dinos were the Ottawa Gee-Gees. It was a defensive battle
with no points until the fourth quarter when each team scored. The
Dinos were leading 9-7 when, with two minutes to go in the game and
after a controversial play and call in the Gee Gee’s favor, the Gee-Gees
scored the winning touchdown and won 14-9.
In June of 1976, before his final
season with the Dinos, Don was invited to the BC Lions Rookie Camp. He
took part in drills for quarterbacks, receivers, linebackers, safeties
and place-kickers. His participation was narrowed to place-kicking
where he ended up competing against Lui Passaglia from Simon Fraser
University who went on to play for the Lions from 1976 - 2000 and had a
Hall of Fame career. Don was not extended an invitation to the Lions’
Main Camp. After the 1976 season with the Dinos Don retired from
football.
Sports Colour Commentator for the Calgary
Stampeders
First Individual Hired by the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics
Upon graduating from University, Don
worked for a couple of years at the U of C as Athletic Business Manager
in the Physical Education Department. In 1979 and for the next 19 years
Don became the Sports Colour Commentator for the Calgary Stampeders
Football Broadcasts. When Calgary was awarded the 1988 Winter Olympics
Don was the first individual hired by the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics
Committee and serving as Vice-President, Don made a significant
contribution to the successful Games. The leadership skills Don gained
playing football certainly contributed to his success in his chosen
athletic-related professions.
Don is being inducted into the
Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall of Fame because of his outstanding
football career at the Junior and University levels. His achievements
provide a good example for young Wetaskiwin athletes of what can be
attained with hard work and dedication. Congratulations Don!
Information
about an inductee is collected from published sources, sports
archives, scrapbooks, anecdotal information from family,
friends and fans, and the athlete.
However, sometimes
the best stories and personal insights are gleaned at the induction dinner from
the introductory comments or acceptance speech of the
inductee or their representative.
Where possible we have included this type of information for
your enjoyment.
Read
the introductory comments made by Kristi Paulstat when introducing Don
Siler.
Read Don's
acceptance speech.
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