Rick Sowieta
Encyclopedia
Rick Sowieta is a former CFL
linebacker who played ten seasons in the Canadian Football League
, mainly for the Ottawa Rough Riders
, for whom he played eight years. He was a CFL Eastern All Star in 1980, 1983, and 1985.
for the local Ottawa Sooners
and, in 1971,they were the Eastern Canadian Finalists.
in Virginia, where he earned a BA in Economics and graduated in 1977. While attending, he played linebacker for the Richmond Spiders
, a Division 1 football team in the NCAA, which won Southern Conference Championship for the NCAA in 1975.
CFL team, for whom he played two seasons, from 1977 to 1979. In 1979 he was traded to the Ottawa Rough Riders CFL team, for whom he played from 1979 to 1986. During his time with the Rough Riders he won three Eastern All-Star Selections (1980, 1983, 1985), was nominated as Ottawa's Choice for Outstanding Canadian Citizen in 1980, and played in the 69th Grey Cup
game in 1981. During his ten-year career he played 157 games, ten of which were playoff games and one of which was a Grey Cup game.
finals. In 2001 he coached the St. Mark's, an Ottawa high school, to the City Championship finals. In 2002, the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees football team was coached by Rick and they were finalists in the 2002 Yates Cup
. In both 2008 and 2009, the St. Pat's
, a local high school, football teams were coached to victory at the Tier 2 City Championships. Rick is coaching the National Senior Women's Team for 2010.
selection committee, of the International Federation of American Football
, and as the High Performance Director Junior National Team (U20) in 2009. Rick was the General Manager of Canada's Team World (U20) for 2010. Currently, Rick works as the Director of Sports for Football Canada
and has done so since 2004.
Business School in Poland
, primarily teaching English as a second language.
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
linebacker who played ten seasons in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
, mainly for the Ottawa Rough Riders
Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
, for whom he played eight years. He was a CFL Eastern All Star in 1980, 1983, and 1985.
Early life
Although born in Heusden, Belgium, Sowieta emigrated to Canada in 1957 and grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, where he attended Glebe Collegiate for high school. While at the school, he played linebacker for the football team, who were City Jr. Junior Football Champs in 1969. He later played in the Canadian Junior Football LeagueCanadian Junior Football League
The Canadian Junior Football League is a national amateur Canadian football league consisting of 19 teams playing in six provinces across Canada. The teams compete annually for the Canadian Bowl...
for the local Ottawa Sooners
Ottawa Sooners
The Ottawa Sooners are a Canadian football team based in Ottawa. The team originally played in the Ontario Football Conference of the Canadian Junior Football League. The team had achieved success during its play in the CJFL, winning a total of 4 National Championships...
and, in 1971,they were the Eastern Canadian Finalists.
University
Sowieta attended the University of RichmondUniversity of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
in Virginia, where he earned a BA in Economics and graduated in 1977. While attending, he played linebacker for the Richmond Spiders
Richmond Spiders
The Richmond Spiders represent the University of Richmond, a member of the NCAA's Division I and a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference for all sports except football and women's golf, which participate as members of the Colonial Athletic Association....
, a Division 1 football team in the NCAA, which won Southern Conference Championship for the NCAA in 1975.
Professional football career
Sowieta began his professional football career in 1977 when he was a first-round draft pick for the Toronto ArgonautsToronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
CFL team, for whom he played two seasons, from 1977 to 1979. In 1979 he was traded to the Ottawa Rough Riders CFL team, for whom he played from 1979 to 1986. During his time with the Rough Riders he won three Eastern All-Star Selections (1980, 1983, 1985), was nominated as Ottawa's Choice for Outstanding Canadian Citizen in 1980, and played in the 69th Grey Cup
69th Grey Cup
The 69th Grey Cup was played on November 22, 1981 at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec in front of 52,487 fans. The 1981 Grey Cup game is considered to be one of the ten best Grey Cup games of all time...
game in 1981. During his ten-year career he played 157 games, ten of which were playoff games and one of which was a Grey Cup game.
Football Coaching Career
Following the end of his career in the CFL, he coached on and off with various National, Junior League, University, and High School Football Teams. In both 1989 and 1990 he coached the Semi-Professional Ottawa Bootleggers to Championship Finals. In 1991 he coached the Ottawa Sooners to the Canadian BowlCanadian Bowl
The Canadian Bowl is the championship of the Canadian Junior Football League. The three league champions participate in the playdowns for the championship. One champion receives a bye to the game, while the other two play off in the Jostens Cup. The bye rotates among the three...
finals. In 2001 he coached the St. Mark's, an Ottawa high school, to the City Championship finals. In 2002, the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees football team was coached by Rick and they were finalists in the 2002 Yates Cup
Yates Cup
The Yates Cup is a Canadian sports trophy, presented annually to the winner of the Ontario University Athletics football conference of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport federation. It is the oldest still-existing football trophy in North America, dating back to 1898 and surpassing both the Grey...
. In both 2008 and 2009, the St. Pat's
St. Patrick's High School (Ottawa)
St. Patrick's High School, located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, is a Catholic high school publicly funded under the Ontario school system as part of the Ottawa-Carleton Catholic School Board...
, a local high school, football teams were coached to victory at the Tier 2 City Championships. Rick is coaching the National Senior Women's Team for 2010.
Football Management Positions
Rick has formerly served as the President of both the Ottawa Rough Riders Alumni Association and of the Ottawa Sooners Football Club. Rick has also served as a member of the Canadian Football Hall of FameCanadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
selection committee, of the International Federation of American Football
International Federation of American Football
International Federation of American Football is the international governing body of American football associations. Its headquarters are in La Courneuve, France, and its current president is Tommy Wiking...
, and as the High Performance Director Junior National Team (U20) in 2009. Rick was the General Manager of Canada's Team World (U20) for 2010. Currently, Rick works as the Director of Sports for Football Canada
Football Canada
Football Canada is the governing body for amateur Canadian football. It is Canada's representative member of the International Federation of American Football , the world's governing body for American football.-History:...
and has done so since 2004.
Careers Outside of Football
In addition to playing for Rough Riders in the 80's, Rick also worked for Bacardi Rum as the sales manager for Eastern Ontario from 1980-89. From 1989-2003 Rick was the co-owner of various Mexican-themed restaurants, namely Las Palmas, Rick's Cantina, and the Salsa Shack. From 2003-2005 Rick was an instructor at the Nowy Sacz UniversityWyższa Szkoła Biznesu – National-Louis University
Wyższa Szkoła Biznesu - National-Louis University is a university in Poland. Founded in 1991, it is located in Nowy Sącz. The university emphasizes English, and business and management education. It also has programs in computer science, political science, psychology, social work and MBA...
Business School in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, primarily teaching English as a second language.