Tony Proudfoot

John A. "Tony" Proudfoot (10 September 1949 – 30 December 2010) was an All-Star defensive back in the Canadian Football League, teacher, coach, broadcaster and journalist.

Early life Proudfoot was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Proudfoot went on to study at the University of New Brunswick and played as a linebacker for the university's football team. In 1971, Proudfoot graduated with a bachelor's degree in physical education.

CFL career Proudfoot was a Montreal Alouettes draft pick in 1971, Proudfoot initially played as a linebacker, and was cut in that role. However, he was re-signed in 1973 and converted to a defensive back. He played on the Alouette's 1974 Grey Cup winning team. With time, Proudfoot and his fellow players became so experienced that they made the calls on the field; they signalled their plans to defensive coordinator Dick Roach in case he had to show that they were following his plans. In July 1977, his coach, Marv Levy, described Proudfoot as a "very smart football player ... [who] gets [the] very best out of himself" and who "isn't selfishly competing with his own teammates". Proudfoot later reflected that his success in professional football was due to being able to work, learn, ask good questions and process information, as "I didn't have great ability". Proudfoot later recalled "With that little bit of a grip, it gave you extra confidence. We really knew we had something when Gerry Dattilio caught a short pass from Sonny Wade and ran right past Larry Highbaugh for a big gain. Gerry will tell you that he was not ... well, he was not very fast. And Highbaugh was known as one of the fastest guys in the league. That's when we knew we had something. It was a big factor in that 41–6 win. Proudfoot was a CFL All-Star in 1977 and 1979. He also played three seasons (1980 to 1982, 41 games) with the B.C. Lions. during the summers, he worked as waterfront director at Camp Nominingue in the Laurentians from 1987 to 1995. For four years, he served as assistant coach for the Concordia Stingers, including 1998 when the Stingers reached the Vanier Cup. He served as assistant coach to Alouettes head coach Rod Rust in 2001, but continued to work as a broadcast analyst, never betraying the confidences of the team and its players during his broadcasts. Following several years of interviews, research and writing Proudfoot's book entitled "First and Goal: The CFL and the Pursuit of Excellence" was published in 2006.

Illness and death Proudfoot first noticed that his speech was slurred while lecturing at Concordia University in February, 2007. A diagnosis of bulbar onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a motor neuron disorder, was made in early May at the Montreal Neurological Institute. As a result, in June 2007, Proudfoot publicly revealed that he had ALS. Proudfoot commented at the time "I'm a physical-education teacher. I've spent my whole life being active, so it's ironic to now get a muscle disease." In addition, Proudfoot noted the irony of a radio broadcaster and teacher losing his ability to speak. His one-time teammate on the Alouettes, Larry Uteck was also diagnosed with ALS and died from it in 2002.

Proudfoot was widely admired for the lack of self-pity, bravery and humour he showed in facing the disease, and for using it as an opportunity for education and to raise money for research. He wrote that he had determined to "Suck it up and get on with life (remember, no whining allowed!) and enjoy every day." Proudfoot retired from Dawson College and Concordia University, but initially continued to work as a football analyst on CJAD. In 2008, Proudfoot was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame Football Reporters wing. To make his acceptance speech he used a speech generating device, an electronic communication aid that speaks aloud what the user has typed. In 2008, Proudfoot was awarded an honorary doctorate of science (kinesiology) degree from the University of New Brunswick. He served as special consultant to the Alouettes head coach, Marc Trestman during the 2009 and 2010 CFL seasons, which were both Grey Cup winning seasons for the team. Alouettes such as Anthony Calvillo, Ben Cahoon, Scott Flory and others participated in the fundraising events. By December, 2010, the fund had raised $500,000. Beginning in 2007, Proudfoot wrote a series of articles about his triumphs and challenges with the disease in the Montreal Gazette. The same day, Dawson College announced that they would be naming their gyms the "Tony Proudfoot Gymnasium." The college cited "his long service to Dawson College, his careers in professional football and education, his life-saving heroics during the Dawson shooting and his establishment of the fund for ALS research."

Proudfoot was married and had two daughters and a son. A final Montreal Gazette column written by Proudfoot and published after his death, expressed his gratitude for his life, family, friends and the care he had received, and his pride that he had fought the illness with determination. Following his death, his brain was donated to research in sports-related brain damage. His brain, unlike others, showed no evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Published works