Frank Smith Coach Builder Award
It is fitting that Bill Cole is the inaugural recipient of the Frank Smith Coach Builder Award. Bill’s coaching career, in many ways, was launched by Frank Smith.
Bill had a front row seat to watch the coaching style of Frank Smith when Smith, alongside long-time friend Cal Murphy, started the football program at Notre Dame Regional Secondary School in 1956. Bill was one of the student-athletes there at the time, playing running back and receiver for Notre Dame in 1958.
After graduating from Notre Dame, Bill went to Western Washington University but concurrently, began coaching at Notre Dame taking the fall semester off to fit it into his schedule.
After graduating from Western Washington, he would land a teaching and coaching position at Notre Dame. Bill returned to Notre Dame in 1964 to begin his coaching career. He coached the backs and receivers from 1964 to 1976 and moved on to coach the offensive line from 1977 – a role he continues to hold as of 2026.
As of this writing, Bill has been a part of 14 provincial high school championships at Notre Dame. He was part of their incredible run starting in 1970 when they made nine straight finals appearances winning seven of them. He also served as the team registrar in the 1980s.
Bill also served as the line coach for Team BC from 1995 to 1996 in their Canada Bowl competition and was part of the bronze medal team in 1996.
All in total, Bill has coached for over six decades and counting.
About the Frank Smith Coach Builder Award
The Frank Smith Coach Builder Award is awarded to the coach that exemplifies the best qualities of Frank Smith. The recipient should have extensive length and breadth of coaching experience and sustained that over many years. They should be able to bring out the best of the athletes being coached and have garnered the respect of the players and other coaches they have worked with and against. There should be clear evidence of demonstrated technical and ethical excellence available in the coaching toolkit. They should have improved the game of football in the Province of British Columbia.
