A Winnipeg high school football coach is celebrating a remarkable milestone as the 2026 season comes to an end—40 straight years on the sidelines. Yussef Hawash has been a staple at Bulldogs practices and games since 1986, just a couple years after he played for the team. “One of the assistant coaches asked me if I wouldn’t mind helping in the fall,” Hawash told CTV News during an after-school practice earlier this month. “I said yes and got started. That was with Brian Dobie’s staff, and I coached with him for his last 10 seasons.” Hawash coaches the offensive line at Churchill, teaching the five-man unit the importance of protecting the quarterback, opening running lanes, and staying disciplined. “He’s been coaching a lot longer than we have been alive,” Bulldogs left guard Sam Slipp said. “It’s just great. He knows what he’s talking about.” Slipp and his teammates say Hawash’s approach to the game is rooted in patience, and he spends time at each practice focusing on each player’s needs. “I’m so much better than I would have been on any other team because of him,” Slipp said. Bulldogs left tackle Lachlan Parker first met Hawash during a spring football camp when he was in middle school. He says one lesson from Hawash has stuck with him since day one. “You can really learn anything if you just put your mind to it,” Parker said. “I started off as a little grade seven, and now I’ve accomplished a lot because of Yussef.” When Hawash isn’t patrolling the sidelines at Churchill, he teaches grade four and five students at nearby Riverview School and has ended up coaching many former pupils over the years. “That’s been a hoot,” Hawash said. “We have two kids this year whose dads I coached.” Even some of Hawash’s fellow coaches met him well before they ever hit the football field. “He actually taught me in grade four, years ago,” Bulldogs head coach Tyler Parks said. “There was a familiar face already when I came to football. Parks has been coaching alongside Hawash for 16 seasons and said the mentorship is invaluable. He said Hawash thrives at helping young men find their place in the world. “The kids can count on him,” Parks said. He’s going to be here. He’s a voice for them, and he’s there for them when they need to talk.” Hawash also serves as the Bulldogs alumni coordinator, and players like Lachlan Parker marvel at how the coach can rattle off Bulldogs rosters and games from decades ago off the top of his head. “He’ll talk about a game from the 1990s, or the last time we beat a certain team,” Parker said. “It really amazes me every time he remembers those things.” Hawash said one of the best memories came back in 1992 during the Bulldogs’ only undefeated season during his tenure. “We made it to the finals, and we were down 21 to nothing in that game just before halftime. We ended up coming back and winning 44-21,” Hawash recalled. “We had an amazing group, and it was the only 10-0 championship team we’ve had here.” Hawash said coaching is his way of giving back to the football community and he doesn’t plan on hanging up his whistle anytime soon. “I tell [the players] this after games—we really are their biggest fans. It’s a privilege to be on the sidelines.”
