Stan Schwartz

Stan was born and raised in Southern Alberta near Medicine Hat. He participated in baseball, football, track and field and hockey, all in Medicine Hat. In addition to his sport’s involvement, he was a Cub, a Scout and a proud member of the Southern Alberta Light Horse Young Soldier Training Program. While attending university, he worked during the summers for the City of Medicine Hat from 1965-1969 in the cemetery, city pools, and the Parks Departments.

Over five decades Stan Schwartz has committed his working life to local, provincial and national sports communities, as an athlete, coach, sports administrator and sports builder. Although he is best known as the past President of the Calgary Stampeder Football Club, and the former Senior Executive/Manager of McMahon Stadium, his contribution to sports extends well beyond these two prestigious positions.

Stan’s dreams took him to Mount Royal College and the University of Calgary, where he played football and earned a degree in Physical Education and an Alberta Teaching Certificate.

In 1970, Stan and his wife Shirley began their teaching and coaching careers with the Calgary Board of Education. In 1972 they left for graduate school, moving to Indiana State University where Stan coached university football and received a Master’s of Science degree in Sports Medicine.

Over the years Stan coached high school football, wrestling, and track and field. He guided a bantam football team to the City of Calgary Championships and the Provincial Championships.

Stan served as the defensive coordinator with the Calgary Mohawks Junior Football Club. He was heavily involved as a wrestling coach, coaching a City of Calgary high school championship team, participating in the World Amateur Coaches Camp and serving as an assistant coach for the Alberta Junior Olympic teams. He served as an athletic trainer and conducted training clinics for the Calgary Board of Education.

In 1976, Stan started his 8 year career as an Assistant Coach before becoming Coach of the Calgary Stampeders. When he left his coaching position with the Stampeders, he became Senior Executive/Manager of McMahon Stadium, becoming known as one of the best outdoor facilities in North America. Stan along with the McMahon Stadium Society President, Tony Anselmo, were instrumental in the development of McMahon Stadium from a pro sport facility to a multi-purpose sports facility, hosting 600 amateur events annually.

Stan managed the development of Calgary’s first multi-disciplinary Sports Medicine facility for amateur and professional athletes. Stan and the McMahon Stadium staff were major players in the success of the XV Olympic Winter Games Opening and Closing ceremonies.

In 1995, Stan returned to the Stampeders fold as Vice-President and General Manager, Administration. On February 12, 1996, he was elevated to the post of Calgary Stampeder Football Club President. During this time, the Stampeders set team and CFL attendance records, staged the successful 2000 Grey Cup Game, participated in three Grey Cup Championships and won the Grey Cup in 1998 and 2001. Stan acted as the Calgary Stampeders representative on the CFL Board of Governors for eight years.

Although many of Stan’s sports related achievements might be perceived as those being associated with his daily job, the majority were accomplished through his time beyond his chosen profession. Stan’s dedications in time, direction and successful fundraising campaigns have contributed to the success of the various Calgary and area football programs.

An achievement that he is particularly proud of is his recent involvement in the planning, fund-raising, and development of the Shouldice Park Project that includes 3 multi-purpose infill artificial fields with stands for use by community football and other sports programs. Shouldice Park is now one of the finest amateur football facilities in Canada.

The Calgary Senior High School Athletic Association in 2000 introduced a trophy in Stan’s name in recognition of over thirty years of support of high school football programs. The trophy is awarded annually to the top Calgary high school volunteer football coach.

In 2003, Stan was inducted onto the Calgary Bantam Football Wall of Fame for his outstanding contributions. Then in 2004, he was selected as the Calgary Booster Club’s Sportsman of the Year and inducted onto the Calgary Stampeder Football Club’s Wall of Fame in the builder’s category.

In 2005, Stan Schwartz was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame & Museum as a football builder. In the same year, he was the recipient of the Alberta Centennial Medal in recognition of outstanding service to the people and province of Alberta. In addition, he was the recipient of the Alberta Centennial Salute for the Sport and Recreation Award, an award established to identify, honour and celebrate 100 individual Albertans for their outstanding contributions to the overall development of sport and recreation in Alberta during the province’s first 100 years.

In 2007, Stan Schwartz received the Life Member Award for thirty-five years of professional service and dedication to the American Football Coaches Association. Also in 2007, he was the recipient of the Football Alberta Life Membership Award/Hall of Fame Award. In the same year he received The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow Award.

Following the Calgary Stampeder Grey Cup Victory in 2008, managing partner Ted Hellard recognized Stan Schwartz at a rally held at Olympic Plaza in Calgary as being “the heart and the soul of the Calgary Stampeders.”

The 2008 Calgary Stampeder Football Grey Cup victory resulted in a fourth Grey Cup Championship Ring for Stan Schwartz.

In 2009, the Calgary Stampeder Football Club introduced “The Stan Schwartz Heart of a Champion Award.” The award will be presented annually to three (3) Calgary high school football seniors who display important life skills such as determination, pride, perseverance, dedication, leadership and integrity through their pursuit of excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community.

That year he received the Canadian Football League’s Hugh Campbell Distinguished Leadership Award, “In Recognition of Leadership that has strengthened the CFL, Contributions that have improved our Game, and an example that inspired us all.”

A sport will only be as good as the people who devote their personal time to that sport’s betterment. By that yardstick, community sports and Canadian football are better because of Stan Schwartz’s commitment over the years.

Stan Schwartz is the only man from Medicine Hat to ever make it to the coaching and senior executive ranks of the Canadian Football League.