40-year Regina coach takes on new challenge with Thunder

Despite being a football coach for about 40 years in Regina, one man isn’t ready to step away from the sidelines just yet.

Alex Smith has coached at high schools, in the CFL and everywhere in between during his career.

And despite almost being 75, the will to coach continues to remain strong. He has been named the Regina Thunder’s new defensive coordinator.

“My wife says it’s my hobby because I don’t golf, I don’t do those things, football is my passion I guess, my hobby, the thing I like doing the best,” Smith said.

His longest stint while he was a teacher was at Thom Collegiate, where he would win a city championship.

He would then go on to become the defensive coordinator with the Regina Rams while they were still a junior football team. He was on the staff when they won three consecutive national championships in the 1990’s.

From there, he would transition to the professional ranks, becoming an assistant coach with the Saskatchewan Roughriders for 16 years.

“Getting to four Grey Cups, sadly only winning one with the Riders in 2007, that was pretty special.”

After being fired by the Riders, he would go on to become the University of Regina Rams special teams coordinator until 2015.

“My life became pretty hectic and so I took a couple of years away because there was lots of things going on in my life.”

But during the fall of 2017, Smith decided to return to the sideline in 2018.

“I approached (head coach Scott MacAulay), I had gone out and watched some practices in the fall and I liked what I saw.”

Smith said he met with MacAulay on a few occasions during the off-season.

“After about the third meeting, he said he’d be interested in having me do it and I was more than glad to say yes.”

And he’s got one message for his new defence.

“Know what you’re doing and play fast.”

The Thunder begin their preparations for the new season with a camp in Moose Jaw on Saturday.