Former football Stingers head coach Mickey Donovan immerses himself in new role as the Montreal Alouettes’s special teams coordinator

Still, Donovan doesn’t believe there has been a big learning curve. “It’s football, right? It’s knowing how to deal with individuals, and the big picture is really prepping and getting the guys ready for the next game,” he says.

“It’s fun. It’s exciting. It’s challenging. I think every day you might find something that is new. I love where I’m at.”

Heading north

Donavan is a native of Laconia, N.H., which is about 200 km south of the Quebec border. He began playing football when he was nine years old and then excelled in high school ball.

“In the town I lived in, it was rare that people got scholarships and got to play in college,” he says. “But I was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship from the University of Maine.”

After playing for the Maine Black Bears for two years, Donovan followed his high school sweetheart and future wife Ashley, to Montreal and began studying and playing football at Concordia.

“I left a full ride at the University of Maine to come up here, not knowing what I was coming to,” he says. “Looking back now, when I was 21 years old making the decision that would ultimately change my life, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Balancing act

Donovan played for the Stingers from 2002 to 2004 and became one of the most accomplished players ever to wear the jersey. He was named a Quebec All-Star and two-time CIS (Canadian Interuniversity Sport, now U Sports) All-Canadian twice. In 2004, he was awarded the President’s Trophy as the top defensive player in Canadian university football.

“The brotherhood on the team — all the guys you’re with — that was special,” Donovan says. “And having a coach like Gerry McGrath who truly cared about myself, my brother and the other football players — you live to play for people like that.”

Although most of his time was dedicated to football, Donovan was able to appreciate his experience as a leisure sciences student. “My experience at Concordia was top notch. I really appreciated the profs I had. They really truly cared about my well-being and me doing well in school,” he says.

“Professor [Robert] Hopp was a good guy. He always gave his time to us and really made sure that we were OK and heading in the right direction.”

Donovan also remembers some members of Concordia’s administration fondly. “Shoshana Kalfon a strong person who helped not just my brother and me but a lot of football players, in giving us the proper guidance on where we needed to go for a career,” he says.

“I loved my time at Concordia and going there opened up so many doors for me.”

Returning to his alma mater

After some time playing for the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the CFL and coaching for the Western University Mustangs and McGill Redmen, Donovan returned to Concordia as head coach for the Stingers from 2014 to 2017.