Head coach of the Langley Rams football team has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking, Mounties confirmed this week. But he maintains his innocence.

Howie Zaron, 45, who coached the Rams to the Canadian Bowl in 2019, has been charged after a Langley RCMP drug section investigation led to a search of a home and vehicle in Brookswood in April.

B次元官网网址淚 strongly believe that the charge is not going to stick,B次元官网网址� Zaron told the Langley Advance Times.

B次元官网网址淢y friends and family know who I am, and this is not it,B次元官网网址� Zaron said.

The April searches by police turned up a small amount of cocaine, packaged in what Cpl. Holly Largy said was 17 B次元官网网址渇laps,B次元官网网址� some cash, packaging materials, and a small scale. It was a relatively small-scale bust, according to the RCMP.

Langley RCMP announced the charges a week ago, on July 16, but did not release ZaronB次元官网网址檚 name at the time. An anonymous tip advised the Langley Advance Times that Zaron had been charged.

Zaron said he has done nothing wrong, and he will not step aside from his coaching post unless he is asked to do so. He expressed concern about the damage his arrest will have on local minor football.

His lawyer, David Milburn, said Zaron just found out about the charge on Wednesday, July 22 and he hasnB次元官网网址檛 yet seen disclosure from Crown counsel.

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Zaron is expected to appear in Surrey Provincial Court to face the charges on Aug 4.

Dana Matheson, president of the Langley Rams, said he was unaware of the charge before he was contacted by the Langley Advance Times on Wednesday, July 22.

But, he confirmed, the clubB次元官网网址檚 board of directors has clear protocols that any coach facing criminal charges is automatically suspended until the case is resolved.

B次元官网网址淥ur board, itB次元官网网址檚 probably worth noting, has decided that any time thereB次元官网网址檚 a legal issue that comes up with any coaches, until the investigation is completeB次元官网网址� I mean weB次元官网网址檝e never been in this situation before, but this is how we operate as a board, any time something like this does comes up the coach is suspended until further notice B次元官网网址� until the charges are either dropped or we get further knowledge of anything.B次元官网网址�

Matheson said the justice system has to have time to run its course, and verified that this means Zaron is suspended until further notice.

B次元官网网址淲e had no prior knowledge of thisB次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� Matheson added.

B次元官网网址淲e have no details at all and really no comments about anything to do with it because we didnB次元官网网址檛 know. We were completely blindsided. WeB次元官网网址檝e never known coach Zaron to have any issues. HeB次元官网网址檚 never caused us any problems. HeB次元官网网址檚 been A1 as a football coach and heB次元官网网址檚 always said what heB次元官网网址檚 done, and done what he said. HeB次元官网网址檚 had an unblemished record with us,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淓very season, we run a criminal record check on every coach who takes the field, so on that end, we definitely do our due diligence to make sure thereB次元官网网址檚 no history of anything before we hire any coaches to work with kids,B次元官网网址� Matheson elaborated. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 been done every single year B次元官网网址� obviously. And his name was never associated with anything other than, I guess going way back into the B次元官网网址�90s.B次元官网网址�

Zaron has been before the courts in B.C. before, but not for many years. In 1996, he was found guilty of a 1995 assault. Zaron would have been approximately 19 at the time of the incident.

B次元官网网址淣othing has been on our radarB次元官网网址� Coach Howie has been with us the last two, two-and-a-half years now. HeB次元官网网址檚 been a role model coach and heB次元官网网址檚 been a model coach and thereB次元官网网址檚 been absolutely no red flags with him or no issue, no concerns, no problems, no nothing,B次元官网网址� the president said.

A member of the B.C. football community for more than 20 years, Zaron joined the Rams in 2017 when he was named the new general manager, with Matt Blokker as head coach.

HeB次元官网网址檇 coached with Langley Minor Football and North Surrey Minor, winning B.C. Community Football Championships.

A Langley native, Zaron was also head coach of the Valley Huskers from 2006 to 2009, and won back-to-back Ranji Mattu Awards as BCFC coach of the year in both 2007 and 2008.

By the 2018 season, Zaron had become interim head coach, a position that became permanent. He oversaw multiple winning seasons for the Rams.

B次元官网网址淲e are with our coach, and we believe in him,B次元官网网址� the president added. B次元官网网址淗opefully nothing more comes of it, and we can get him back on the sidelines,B次元官网网址� Matheson concluded.

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