Tom Flaxman named new Gaels offensive coordinator
Queen’s football head coach Steve Snyder is pleased to announce the hiring of Tom Flaxman, an experienced tactician who has spent the last 11 years coaching in Ontario University Athletics (OUA), to the Gaels football coaching staff as the team’s offensive coordinator.
“We welcome Tom to Queen’s with great excitement,” said Steve Snyder, Head Coach, Football. “Tom brings tremendous experience as an offensive coordinator, a versatile coaching background and a proven ability to recruit the best student-athletes in the country. He’s an outstanding fit for the new direction of our program.”
Flaxman, a running back himself, began his playing career with the McMaster Marauders where he went on to win the 2003 Yates Cup. From there he moved on to Acadia to finish out his intercollegiate career capturing consecutive Atlantic University Sport titles in 2005 and 2006. Most recently, he was the offensive coordinator with McMaster and spent three months as the team’s interim head coach this past season. Prior to joining the Marauders he spent two seasons as the recruiting coordinator and offensive assistant coach at Western and got his start in the OUA working with Toronto as the offensive coordinator, helping the Varsity Blues to their best record in 20 years in 2013. He got his start in U SPORTS coaching with Acadia starting in 2008 leading up to an AUS championship season in 2011 as co-offensive coordinator.
Flaxman has a top resume as a skilled recruiter as well, bringing in top three Canada Football Chat recruiting classes in a three-year span working with Western and McMaster. He has also coached extensively in the Ontario Varsity Football League, with both the Mississauga Warriors and the London Jr. Mustangs. He has been heavily involved with the provincial team program, having worked with Team Ontario for the last seven years and helping the team win the Canada Cup gold medal in 2014.
“I’m honoured to have the opportunity to join the Queen’s football program,” says Flaxman. “Queen’s has a tradition of excellence and is one of the most storied programs in the country. I am excited by coach Snyder’s vision for the future. I look forward to working with him, Coach Bechmanis and the rest of the staff to build on this great tradition and to become part of the Athletic and Recreation team.”
The Queen’s football Gaels begin their regular season at home on August 25 against Carleton Ravens at Richardson Stadium. Season tickets are now on sale at www.gogaelsgo.com/tickets.