By Martin Cleary
High school students have returned to class and, when the dismissal bell sounds, the teachers/coaches will find time to assemble their teams for the upcoming fall sports campaign.
Football is one of those key sports to kick off the 2025-26 calendar year. But when it comes to the 2025 National Capital Secondary School Athletic Association senior Tier 1 championship game in mid-November, the trophy presentation ceremony will be missing a special element.
The Bob Wills and Ron Graham Cup, which was modernized and renamed in 2007 by former Bell High School teacher Bud McCrae and his associates, will still be the most sought-after prize by the city’s best senior high school players.
The trophy was named to honour two of the most successful and committed Ottawa high school football coaches, after they directed the now-defunct Laurentian Lions to numerous senior city championships and finals.
The honour of presenting the trophy to the winning team captains has traditionally fallen to Graham, who was always bundled up against the cold November weather and surrounded by Laurentian Lions alumni, who were dressed in their age-old, blue leather team bomber jackets bearing the large red Lions crest. Wills died in 2006.
But the organizers of the NCSSAA senior football final will need to find a new presenter this season. Graham passed away on Aug. 16 at age 82. He was diagnosed with dementia in 2023.
A celebration of life for Graham will be held at the Kanata Golf and Country Club on Sept. 27 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tributes will be presented at 3:30 p.m.
~~~~~~~~~ Advertisement ~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~ Advertisement ~~~~~~~~~
In the classroom, Graham and Wills respectively taught physical education/science and science at Laurentian for 33 and 35 years. Laurentian closed in 2005 and was demolished four years later. A Walmart and strip mall now stands on the grounds of the former Laurentian High School and R.D. Campbell Stadium on Baseline Road.
On the football field, Graham and Wills were a two-man powerhouse coaching staff for more than 25 years. Graham was in charge of the offence, while Wills focused on the defence.
The Lions were the only Ottawa high school team to have its own stadium for practices and home games. R.D. Campbell Stadium was on the Laurentian property with bleacher-seating for 1,300 fans and an electronic scoreboard. R.D. Campbell was a legendary coach at Glebe Collegiate Institute.
From the mid-1960s to early 1990s, they trained their dedicated student-athletes well and won 10 Ottawa senior titles and also played in another 10 Ottawa or Ottawa-Carleton championship finals. Graham and Wills started coaching the junior team in 1965 and were elevated to the senior team in 1967, after the passing of senior head coach Joe Upton.
The 1992 Ottawa high school championship was the final one for Laurentian and two or three years later the football program folded because of declining student enrolment.
In the 1987 Ottawa-Carleton senior football final, McCrae couldn’t manage a third straight playoff upset win for the Bell Bruins as the Laurentian defence proved to be too strong in the 22-10 decision.
“They were a well drilled team and had a pile of excellent athletes,” McCrae said about the undefeated Lions team.
Over the years, Graham and Wills produced a number of top players, like Carlo Disipio, Boyd Young, Sean Sweeney, Barry Blondin and Tom Casagrande.
While McCrae and his alumni group were updating the Ottawa high school football trophy, they also created an annual scholarship fund for two deserving players based on their character and integrity. Graham and Wills’ wife would present the scholarships, which are now worth $1,500 each, and plaques to the student-athletes at their high school’s commencement ceremony.
The team of Graham and Wills were dedicated to developing their student-athletes into quality players. The players responded with an equal amount of commitment.
“Back in those days, and I’m sure it hasn’t changed, it was his commitment to the kids,” McCrae said about Graham’s dedication to the players. “He practised five days a week, not just a couple of practices and play a game.
“He was there all the time, encouraging the kids. Ron and Bob were both like that, dedicated to it. They both loved to compete and understood the game.”
Unlike today’s heavy emphasis on the passing game, Graham preferred to move the ball on the ground with a strong running game and added in the occasional passing play.
Graham was born and raised in Toronto and attended the University of Toronto and McMaster University. He balanced his academic work with competitive hockey, football and tennis.
His high school teaching career started at Laurentian in 1965, guiding students in physical education and science.
After the football season ended, Graham turned to coaching Laurentian teams in basketball, volleyball and track and field.
When he wasn’t driving his Austin Healey, Dodge Charger or Corvette, he was a successful curler at the Ottawa Curling Club in the winter and an accomplished golfer in the summer at the Royal Ottawa Golf Club.
For almost 50 years, Graham toured the Royal Ottawa, won the men’s club and senior men’s club championship trophies and represented the club in the Ottawa Valley Golf Association intersectional team competition. He also notched seven holes-in-one.
Graham’s passing has sparked many tributes. Here is a sample:
“I have fond memories of Mr. Graham and my years at Laurentian High School. In fact, Mr. Graham issued my very first false start disqualification. A moment of intense fury later taught me the value of patience, process and fair play; principles I have carried my entire athletic career. I have honoured that moment by passing on those same principles to athletes who cross my path today. Thank you Mr. Graham for contributing to my path and the generations that follow.” – Glenroy Gilbert, 1996 Olympic men’s 4×100-metre relay gold medallist and current Athletics Canada head coach
“Ron was my first football coach in 1966. He let me play right cornerback, which was the pinnacle of my football career. He had a great way of keeping some of us less disciplined types in line. You were either ordered to the showers and missed the rest of the practice or given the option of running back kicks. Unfortunately, I experienced both of those situations, but loved them.” – Greg Boyle
“Like many former students at LHS, I was very fortunate to have Mr. Graham play a huge role in my life as a friend, teacher and coach. A big reason I coach high school football to this day is because of Mr. Graham and Mr. Wills and the dedication and mentorship they showed all of us who played for them.” – Tom Casagrande
“’The Critter’ as he was known around the Royal Ottawa Golf Club was a wonderful competitor and contributor to the club’s history. As a past captain and club champion, he provided many years of great insights and support to many of the staff over the years. A frequent visitor to my office, I will miss our chats, but wonderful to catch up with him at our champion’s dinner these past few years.” – Paul Carrothers, Royal Ottawa Golf Club director of golf
“I was a colleague at Laurentian for 30 years and witnessed the evolution from a young, multi-talented athlete to a legendary coach and role model for the students at LHS. Along the way, there are thousands of memories, all of them positive, involving his love of friendly competition in all his ‘sports’ like bridge, hearts, crokinole and bumper pool in the staff room, and curling and golf, his favourite. I can well imagine his first words at the pearly gates: ‘Where’s Willsy and Roddy. I’m here. Game on.’” – Ron Rollo