In the short period that Matt Shannon and Al Wetmore have worked together on the Tigers football team this season, their bond is already stronger than most other quarterback/coach dynamics in the league.
This is due mostly to the pair’s previous gridiron experience together.
As a freshman in high school, Shannon aspired to lead his school’s football team as quarterback. He successfully achieved that dream and became the head playmaker in grade 11 under the leadership of head coach Al Wetmore.
Now as a third-year engineering student at Dalhousie, Shannon continues to pursue his football dream. He is now the starting quarterback for the Dal Football Club.
Though a lot has changed in his life since playing high school ball, this year, one thing went back to the way it was previously.
Wetmore is back as his leader.
“Its awesome,” says Shannon. “I remember in the off-season finding out that Al is going to be our coach and I just couldn’t believe it. I was super excited and I was excited for the experiences that were coming and it would be great for the program too.”
Shannon is not the only quarterback on the team that’s had Wetmore as a coach in high school. Wetmore previously coached Nick Hunsley, the other Tigers quarterback.
“It’s great having my players that were on the high school team play for me again,” says Wetmore. “They understand me and they understand what I want.”
Wetmore was the head coach at Sir John A. Macdonald High School in Tantallon, N.S. when Hunsley and Shannon were students there.
Sitting on the benches in the locker room, the connection between Shannon and Wetmore is clearly prevalent with their laughter filling the room. Wetmore says he has an elevated trust in Shannon due to their bond.
“I’ve always trusted Matt, he is a very intelligent player, independent and he always corrected me when I was wrong,” says Wetmore. “You value that as a coach because the less handling you have to do is the better.”
Nearly four years have passed since Shannon played for Wetmore in high school, and there have been some changes.
“I mean, Al is not the offensive coordinator anymore so it’s diffidently different than high school,” says Shannon. “He was able to have more interactions with the players.”
Wetmore, however, has noticed a lot of changes in Shannon.
“He’s bigger, stronger and a better player. Matt has moved forward and developed, as you should when you grow older,” says Shannon. “But it’s also different leagues. He was successful in high school so he is going to be successful in this league.”
After taking a short break from coaching, this is Wetmore’s first year at Dal. As a high school coach, Wetmore designed the football program from scratch and loved it – but needed time off.
“I resigned as a high school coach from time restraints and to try to expand myself in other areas, like running my business,” says Wetmore. “It’s great to be back,” he says. “I missed football a lot, and when I got the call requesting me for one of these positions I took it.”
For this year’s team, Wetmore wants to get the program as good as the one he built in high school. In his first year, though, he says he’s still trying to get a feel for things.
He’s happy to have Shannon by his side for his journey
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