VANCOUVER B次元官网网址� DeVone Claybrooks has finally found the right place to become a head coach.
There have been other job opportunities in both the CFL and NFL, the 41-year-old said, but something was always off.
That changed with an offer from the B.C. Lions. He was announced as the teamB次元官网网址檚 new head coach Tuesday.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 about fit and right place and right circumstances. Because you donB次元官网网址檛 want your first job to be your last,B次元官网网址� the former Calgary Stampeders defensive co-ordinator told reporters.
The difference in B.C. is the teamB次元官网网址檚 general manager, Ed Hervey, Claybrooks said.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 about trust. And with the other opportunities, I didnB次元官网网址檛 feel 100 per cent that I could buy in and that it would be the way it should be or the way it had been presented to me,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎t least I can say with this guy here is what I see is what I get.B次元官网网址�
"I almost died. I found out I was a diabetic the hard way. My mom cleaned up all the sugar and every sweet imaginable in my house."
B次元官网网址� BC LIONS (@BCLions)
Less than four months after near-death experience, DeVone Claybrooks is blessed to be head coach.
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Claybrooks spent seven years on the StampsB次元官网网址� coaching staff, including four as the defensive line coach, and won a Grey Cup with the team last month.
CalgaryB次元官网网址檚 defence allowed the fewest points in the league over his three seasons as defensive co-ordinator.
He reportedly also interviewed with Toronto for their open head coach position, which the Argonauts filled by hiring Corey Chamblin on Monday.
Competition for the B次元官网网址渞ising starB次元官网网址� was stiff, Hervey said.
B次元官网网址淒eVone was the number one candidate. Make no mistakes about it. This was clear across the board,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 want sure if we were going to be able to get him.B次元官网网址�
The interview process was about two weeks long, but Hervey said heB次元官网网址檚 been getting to know Claybrooks for several years and has long wanted to work with him.
B次元官网网址淲e have this similar belief on how football teams should be built and weB次元官网网址檙e excited about that and weB次元官网网址檙e looking forward to the challenges that are ahead,B次元官网网址� he said.
With several key players eligible for free agency this year, the team Claybrooks and Hervey build could look much different come training camp.
Neither gave may clues Tuesday about who might be on their roster, but both said theyB次元官网网址檙e looking for hard-working players who want to win.
B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 predict what weB次元官网网址檙e going to be but I can predict one thing B次元官网网址� weB次元官网网址檙e going to be extremely hard working and weB次元官网网址檙e going to be very physical on the field and weB次元官网网址檙e going to be disciplined,B次元官网网址� Hervey said.
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Claybrooks replaces Wally Buono, who retired at the end of the season following 46 years in the CFL.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not trying to fill WallyB次元官网网址檚 shoes. IB次元官网网址檓 wearing my own,B次元官网网址� the new coach said.
B次元官网网址淪o IB次元官网网址檓 going to forge my own legacy and my own standard of what weB次元官网网址檙e doing around here. WeB次元官网网址檙e just going to build off that platform that he left us. And thatB次元官网网址檚 what weB次元官网网址檙e trying to do.B次元官网网址�
The native of Martinsville, Va., spent 11 years playing defensive tackle in the NFL, CFL and in Europe.
As far back as high school, coaches helped him understand not on his role, but the defence as a whole, molding the way he viewed the game and guiding him towards coaching after his playing career ended.
Claybrooks said he got into coaching to help young men become grown men.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 funny because you get players and they first get there and theyB次元官网网址檙e chasing girls and swiping left and right and playing video games,B次元官网网址� he said with a laugh. B次元官网网址淎nd then when they leave you years later, theyB次元官网网址檝e got families and careers and are talking about their second careers and all that. ThatB次元官网网址檚 more rewarding than anything.B次元官网网址�
The coaching appointment caps a busy year for Claybrooks, who suffered a major health scare in August.
A neighbour found him semi-conscious in his Calgary home and he was rushed to hospital, where he was later diagnosed with diabetes.
Now Claybrooks sees that he had B次元官网网址渆very warning sign in the book,B次元官网网址� from blurred vision and increased urination to fatigue, but excused each, thinking he was working too hard or coming down with the flu.
B次元官网网址淎ll the signs were there, but it was like it was in a French and I was speaking English,B次元官网网址� he said.
It was his mother, Sally Claybrooks, who knew something was wrong when her eldest child said he wasnB次元官网网址檛 going to work and then didnB次元官网网址檛 call. She called the neighbour, was in the hospital when he woke up and took care of him as he recovered.
B次元官网网址淪he cleaned up all the sugar and every sweet imaginable that was in my house. They were all gone and replaced with fruit. I think IB次元官网网址檓 the last two months, IB次元官网网址檝e eaten more fruit than in my 41 years of life,B次元官网网址� Claybrooks said.
Sally Claybrooks was also on hand Tuesday as her son was announced the 26th coach in B.C. Lions history.
B次元官网网址淲ords canB次元官网网址檛 even explain it. IB次元官网网址檓 just excited,B次元官网网址� she said, beaming. B次元官网网址淭o see him live out his childhood dream, itB次元官网网址檚 just so amazing. A lot of hard work, a lot of dedication, a lot of sacrifices that heB次元官网网址檚 made, just to get where he is today.B次元官网网址�
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