After nearly three decades of commentating from the sidelines, Brian Dobie is preparing to hang up his whistle.
According to a press release from the University of Manitoba, Dobie announced to his football team over the weekend that the 2024 season will be his final quarter as head coach of the Manitoba Bisons football team.
This season marks Dobie’s 29th year as head coach, capping a remarkable 50-year coaching career that began with a 21-year stint at Churchill High School.
“This was my dream job, a position I have wanted my entire adult and professional life,” Dobie said. “The Bison football program has become our family, a family that my wife and I have embraced, loved and cherished, and a home where our daughter has grown up.”
Dobie’s retirement marks the end of an era for Bisons football in which he was not only the winningest coach in the program’s history, but also a beloved figure within the University of Manitoba community. His impact over the years goes far beyond wins and losses; it is rooted in the relationships he built with countless players.
“My greatest joy over the past 50 years has been working with thousands of players with whom I have had the absolute honor of sharing this wonderful lifelong experience,” says Dobie. “How fortunate I have been to go to work every day surrounded by hundreds of young student-athletes who are motivated, determined and enthusiastic in pursuing their academic and athletic goals.”
Gene Muller, director of athletics and recreation at the University of Manitoba, honored Dobie’s legacy, describing him in the school’s press release as “the heart of Bison football for decades.”
“His energy and infectious enthusiasm inspired our student-athletes, staff and the University of Manitoba community. His unwavering love for the program and genuine care for ‘his boys’ left an indelible mark on the Bison football program. We are deeply grateful for his dedication and leadership over the years.”
As Dobie prepares for his final season, he is looking forward to spending more time with his wife Jackie, who he said is “the person who has always been there for us through good times and bad. She has been the anchor for our family and we are both very excited about our next adventures.”
Dobie’s accomplishments include five Canada West Coach of the Year awards and the U SPORTS Coach of the Year award in 2001. He was inducted into the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2015 for his contributions to Churchill High School football. During his tenure, Dobie has coached 63 student-athletes who were drafted by CFL teams and two by NFL teams.
The 2024 U Sports football regular season is scheduled to end on Saturday, Oct. 26. In the meantime, the School of Kinesiology and Recreation Management will begin its official search for Dobie’s successor in September, with the goal of having a new head coach in place by December.
