Leo Ezerins
| No. 72 | |
| Date of birth | August 10, 1956 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Linebacker/Tight End |
| US college | Whitworth University |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1978–1982 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 1983–1987 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| CFL East All-Star | 1986 |
| Career stats | |
| Games played | 173[1] |
| Sacks | 13 |
| Interceptions | 25 1st All Time Canadian |
| Receptions | 23 |
Leo Ezerins (born August 10, 1956) was a linebacker who played ten seasons in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Background
Ezerins is a graduate of Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington graduating with a BA in Economics and Business. He was a conference all-star four times and an NAIA All American. His head coach was CFL legend, Hugh Campbell.
A gifted athlete he was also a three-time Canadian Champion Speed Skating Champion, Provincial High School basketball All-Star twice and played on the Isaac Brock Provincial Little League Championship team and the Winnipeg Hawkeyes Juvenile Little Grey Cup Championship team.
Professional career
Ezerins is currently the all time interception leader for Canadian linebackers and fifth overall for all CFL linebackers. He was an integral member of the Tiger-Cats 1986 Grey Cup winning team. He recovered the first fumble of the game caused by Grover Covington which set the pace for an incredible defensive onslaught of the heavily favored Edmonton Eskimos. That year he was named a CFL Eastern All Star.[2]
Awards
- Nominated - All Time Hamilton Tiger Cat - 2012
- Named – #46 Globe and Mail Sports Power 50 – 2011 [3]
- Named – Honorary Member Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry – 2011 [4]
- Inducted - Manitoba Football Hall of Fame 2010
- Named- Leo Ezerins Award – Isaac Brock Community Center, Winnipeg, MB - 2010 [5]
- Named - to CFL Eastern All Star Team – 1986
- Named - NAIA All American - 1977
Life After Retirement
Ezerins is a founder of the CFL Alumni Association, and currently acts as Executive Director. He is a highly accomplished sales and marketing professional with over 25 years cumulative experience in the financial services, pharmaceuticals, and franchising industries. He has worked with Canada’s most recognized and successful companies within each sector. These companies include Investors Group, GlaxoSmithKline, and Boston Pizza International.[6]
Over the years Ezerins has held a strong belief in giving back to the community. He has served as an Executive on the Board of Manitoba Special Olympics and the BC Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. He is a former CFLPA representative (Hamilton), President of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Alumni, and General Manager for the ’91 Grey Cup Festival in Winnipeg. Ezerins has also coached football for Earl Marriott High School in White Rock, BC; a head coach for the Winnipeg Blue Bomber Alumni High School All Star Football Game, and the head coach for a Women’s Flag Football team in White Rock.
Ezerins is the poster boy for a University Health Network study on the effect of head hits on CFL players to be studied for long term concussion effects.[7] Ezerins helps promote concussion awareness for all sports.[8]
Personal
Ezerins currently resides in Hamilton, Ontario and has two adult children, Katie and Dillon. Recently he was named to the Globe and Mail's Power 50, a Member of the 100th Grey Cup Steering Committee, Honorary Member of the PPCLI Foundation, Member of the Canadian Sports Concussion Research Project (Chaired by Dr. Charles Tator), a nominee to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats All Time Team and Manitoba Football Hall of Fame inductee.[9]
References
- ^ http://www.cflapedia.com/Players/e/ezerins_leo.htm
- ^ http://www.fanbase.com/Leo-Ezerins
- ^ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/nhlpas-donald-fehr-comes-in-second-on-the-power-50/article565692/?page=all
- ^ http://www.ebookeqs.org/view_958276.php
- ^ http://www.ticats.ca/uploads/assets/HAM/MediaGuide2010/Ticats_MediaGuide_2010.pdf
- ^ http://www.cflaa.ca/board-of-directors/leo-ezerins/
- ^ http://www.thespec.com/sports-story/2232486-former-cfl-players-to-be-studied-for-long-term-concussion-effects/
- ^ http://www.ticats.ca/article/working-to-promote-concussion-awareness
- ^ http://www.cflaa.ca/board-of-directors/leo-ezerins/