In about a 25 minute commute along Marine Drive each day, Neil Cartwright transforms from a successful businessman into a dedicated university coach.
The longtime Richmond resident has been working the past four seasons as a member of the UBC Thunderbirds football team’s coaching staff. This year, his responsibility grew further when he was promoted to offensive line coach. It means Cartwright leaves work around 4 p.m. most weekdays and is on the practice field roughly an hour later. He usually isn’t home until after 8 p.m.
“It’s basically six full days a week. I don’t even calculate the hours because I’m too afraid too,” laughed Cartwright while sitting in his office, decorated with football memorabilia. “Its long days but I do enjoy it.”
The significant volunteer gig became more manageable when Cartwright left his job at London Drugs and purchased Island City Auto repair on Minoru Blvd. Being the owner allows for a more flexible schedule to make his coaching duties work. On this particular week, Cartwright had to be at the airport at 7 a.m. on Friday for a flight to Winnipeg and a game against the University of Manitoba the next day.
The 50-year-old’s passion for football began back in Grade 9 as a member of the powerhouse junior program at Hugh Boyd.
Cartwright went on to play at Steveston High at a time when football was never bigger in the city. The Packers reached the provincial championship game in his Grade 11 year. His career continued with the storied Richmond Raiders junior program that typically packed Minoru Park on game days.
“My mentors were Charlie Phipps (Hugh Boyd), Ian Anderson (Steveston), Archie Skemp (Richmond Raiders) and Jeff Lochbaum (Raiders). Those guys are all legends here,” recalled Cartwright. “We lost two games in three years at Boyd and by the time I got to Steveston, football was everything to me. The rivalry between Richmond and Steveston in football and basketball were amazing. And going to Raiders games on Saturday nights was the thing to do in Richmond.”
Cartwright would spent the next 20 years or so raising four athletically gifted children. His son Chris enjoyed a stellar high school career at Boyd and went on to play at Acadia University. Mike was an accomplished boxer who won silver at the Canada Summer Games back in 2007. His daughters thrived in softball with Jennifer earning a full-ride scholarship to a school in Florida.
It was in Chris’ Grade 12 year when he talked with Bill and Bruce Haddow about joining the Trojans coaching staff the following season. A few years later, he was asked to join the South Fraser Junior Rams, who were coached by his former Richmond Raiders’ teammate Chris Butschler. When the club relocated from South Surrey to Langley, the commute would be too much.
New Rams head coach Tyson St. James had heard UBC was looking for help and encouraged Cartwright to pursue it.
“The next thing I know I’m on the phone with (UBC head coach) Shaun Olson,” recalled Cartwright. “I’m then driving down Marine Drive to go meet with him thinking this would be a pretty cool gig.”
Cartwright initially worked with longtime coach Bob Beveridge before he left the team due to family commitments. Now he has two other coaches working under him.
“I didn’t want to get involved in coaching because I just wanted to watch my kids,” said Cartwright. “When our kids started to leave (home) there was this big void to fill. The neat thing is my wife is at games and sits in the stands with all the UBC parents. It’s filling her void too. We are both very sports minded.”
The Thunderbirds are off to a tough 0-3 start but firmly believe the talent is in place to be a contender in the always tough Canada West conference. UBC had an excellent recruiting year despite having one of the highest academic standards of any athletic program in the country. The goal this season is for every player on the roster to maintain at least a 70 percent overall grade average.
“That has never been achieved before,” said Cartwright. “We are always having academic meetings with our kids and honestly believe the same amount of energy that goes into football has to go into studying to get these kids at a high level academically.”
During the off-season he is involved in Football BC’s all-star program that annually sends teams to competitions on both sides of the border. It also helps with recruiting for UBC.
His grassroots aren’t forgotten either.
“I still watch Boyd games at least a couple times a year,” smiled Cartwright.
