A local high school football coach has been recognized for his outstanding achievements in Tier 1 coaching.

Gino Castellan is the head coach of the Ecole Secondaire Notre Dame High School Cougars, and he was recently named the Frank Morris Teir 1 High School Coach of the Year, awarded by Football Alberta. Castellan is being honored for his contribution to the development of football in a Tier 1 high school program and amateur football in Alberta.

Castellan was honored to receive this award in the Tier 1 category.

“It is a great feeling winning one of these Football Alberta coaching awards, as there is a lot of great coaches in Alberta.”

Castellan achievements last year included leading his team to their first city title since 2009 with a 39-15 victory over Hunting Hills High School. The Cougars then become the first Central Alberta team in 21 years to advance to the Tier 1 Football Alberta North Finals. There they were able to defeat the fourth-ranked Harry Ainlay High School Titans 27-8, before falling to the Bev Facey Community High Falcons.

This is not the first time Castellan has been recognized for his coaching efforts. He has previously won the Tier 2 Coach of the Year Award and the Football Alberta Overall Coach of the year Award.

The Frank Morris Tier 1 High School Football Coach of the Year Award is presented in honour of the former Direcotr of Player Development of the Edmonton Eskimos in recognition of his contribution to amateur football in Alberta and Canada. The winner of this award needs to have made a significant contribution to the local growth and development of football in Tier 1 high school program.