Roger Kronquist passes away....

[Toppy Vann]

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/vancou ... &fhid=5847

A great football coach whose coaching developed some very good football players who went on mostly to be successful at UBC or the North Shore Cougars. Even in years where his teams had less talent my sense was that the coaching trumped talent and they were always in games.

No disrespect but his obit suggests he too was not impressed with the Lions of late.

KRONQUIST, Roger Alexander
Born at St. Paul's Hospital on August 9, 1932; only son of John and Ellen, Roger died suddenly
and peacefully in his recliner on Saturday,
November 8, 2014. Roger is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, Rita, many close relatives on Rita's side, cousins in Finland, and many friends. After graduating from Kits High School in 1951, Roger went on to get his Bachelor of P.E. from UBC in 1957, and received his Masters of Science from the University of Oregon in 1965. Following his graduation from UBC, he began his teaching career at West Vancouver High where he taught and coached for 31 years. He was transferred to Sentinel where he continued coaching for four years until he retired in 1992. He was a well- respected and loved teacher and coach, who touched the lives of thousands of students. During his long teaching career, he was very involved in athletics, coaching football, junior basketball, track and field, as well as refereeing basketball. Roger was an avid rugby player in his younger years with the Kats, going to Japan with the team in 1961. He enjoyed playing bridge with his high school friends, making and drinking his wine both red and white, although he preferred red. He was a long-time season ticket-holder of the B.C. Lions, having attended the game on Friday, November 7 – a game he was not impressed with. After his retirement, Roger enjoyed curling with the Norwest Seniors, and golfing with both Burnaby Mountain Seniors and Westpoint Golf at Langara. He also had many travel adventures and cruises with Rita, the last being to the South Pacific, coming home a week before his passing. Celebration of Roger's Life will be held on Wednesday, November 19, 2014 at 11:30 a.m. at Seymour Golf and Country Club, 3723 Mount Seymour Parkway, North Vancouver, BC. In lieu of flowers, donations to Lions Gate Hospital Foundation would be appreciated at 231 East 5th Street, North Vancouver, BC V7L 2L7 or www.lghfoundation.com 604-984-5785. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/vancou ... q4NuE.dpuf

[QB Club 63]

I'm a WVSS grad, class of 71, and Mr. Kronquist was my PE teacher and my football coach. He must have seen something in me that made him take a chance on a raw kid that had never played organized football before to make me full-time punter for the Highlanders, as well as giving me some playing time time at tight end and linebacker. All 5'10" & 165lbs of me!!!

Even though budget cuts quashed our football program in my senior year, he still felt I had enough potential to recommend me to then-UBC Football Head Coach and local legend Frank Gnup when I graduated. Unfortunately for me, I was far too shy to fit in amongst a large group of complete strangers so I quit after just one practice.

I sometimes wonder how far I might have gone if I'd had a little more confidence. When I was 17 I would take my football down to Ambleside Park and kick the stuffing out of it, averaging about 40 yards per punt and place-kicking field goals from 50 yards better than 70% of the time.

Thanks Coach!