WATERLOO (CIS) – The University of Waterloo Athletic Department announced on Tuesday that Chris Triantafilou, head coach of the University of Waterloo Warrior Football Program, is resigning his duties as head coach effective immediately.
Marshall Bingeman, associate head coach of the Warrior Football Program, will take over as interim head coach effective immediately.
Coach Triantafilou has been head coach of the Warriors for the past nine seasons and with the Warriors coaching staff for 19 years. He has been a receivers coach, defensive back coach, and defensive coordinator. Chris was the defensive coordinator on the 1997 Yates Cup championship team and the head coach of the Warriors when they claimed their second Yates Cup in 1999. Chris also spent nine years as a camp coach with the Hamilton Tiger Cats. As head coach of the Warriors, Triantafilou compiled an overall regular season record of 31-40-1-1 and was 3-6 in the post season.
“I would like to personally thank all of the past and present players and coaches who I have worked with for their commitment, loyalty and hard work,” commented coach Triantafilou. “It has been a real pleasure to have been a part of the growth of the Warrior football program over the past 20 years as a positional coach, a coordinator and finally as the head coach.”
“However, as the time has gone on, and the environment has changed, I have come to realize that I can not be a great father and a full time football coach. In every conversation that I have with coaches and recruits, I have always stressed the importance of family first. I have three beautiful young daughters at home and my loving wife Betsy. I want to be there for them to watch them grow and develop. With a senior position open with the Athletic Department, now was the best time to begin the transfer to the next chapter in Waterloo Warrior Football. I have the utmost confidence in the coaching staff in place and the current players and I am confident success on the field will soon follow.”
“Thank you to our Athletic Director Judy McCrae for making this change possible, the University of Waterloo for the opportunity to be the head coach of the Warrior Football program, Marshall Bingeman my associate head coach for all of his support and loyalty, my coaching staff for all of their hard work in the past and in the future, and the players for their year round dedication to becoming the best that they can be,” coach Triantafilou continued.
“This is a bitter sweet day for us in Athletics,” commented Athletic Director Judy McCrae. “Chris leaves the football program as a coach but he assumes a new role in the department. Chris’ dedication to his family values is unyielding and I have tremendous respect for this. I would like to thank Chris for his commitment and leadership to our football program for the past 19 years.”
Triantafilou will take over as Facilities Manager in the Athletic Department. “Chris is very knowledgeable, personable and student centred. He has the best qualities of this new direction,” McCrae added.
Marshall Bingeman will take over as interim head coach. Coach Bingeman has coached for 16 years with the Waterloo football program in various roles. He played five years with the Warriors as an offensive tackle (1986-1990) and was a 2-time OUAA all-star.
“I would like to thank Judy McCrae and the University of Waterloo for offering me the role of interim head coach,” Bingeman remarked. “It is with great sadness that I say good-bye and thank you to my friend and head coach Chris Triantafilou after 20 years of association as a player and as a coach. I know the effort, dedication and emotion that Chris has poured into this program and how tough it is for him to leave. I am happy that he has stepped into a role within the department suited for his needs at this time and am glad that he will still be there to provide guidance for me in this transitional period. I would also like to thank my wife Kim and my two children for their support during the rest of the season with this expanded role.
“I have the utmost of faith in the present coaching staff to provide an outstanding group of athletes the best opportunity to win every Saturday, and I look forward to leading this group through the rest of the 2006 season as we strive towards making the play-offs.”
The Warriors next action is this Saturday afternoon against the Toronto Varsity Blues at Birchmount Stadium in Toronto at 1pm.
Bingeman continued, “Having said this, I want to make it clear that my role will be only on an interim basis. It is important for all of our stakeholders, players, coaches, alumni, the university community and our fans that we conduct a national search to find the absolute best candidate as our new head coach for Warrior Football.
“The football program leadership will find their way through to the end of the season,” McCrae added in closing. “I am fully supportive and will do what I can to smooth a path for all. We will conduct a nation-wide search for a new head coach at the completion of the 2006 football season.”
