On Wednesday, Oct. 22, York University Sport & Recreation announced the death of Norbert “Nobby” Wirkowski, former Canadian Football League quarterback and the founder of the York football program and a long-time administrator.

Nobby Wirkowski

Wirkowski, or “Nobby” as he was best known, was hired by York in 1967 to start the University’s football team and the Yeomen took the field for the first time the following year. He served as the team’s head coach for 10 years over two different stints (1968-75 and 1988-89) and as associate head coach alongside Frank Cosentino from 1984-87.

In addition to his duties at the helm of the football program, Nobby coordinated the men’s interuniversity sport program, coached the men’s golf team to a pair of provincial titles, served as an instructor in the physical education program and even helped to bring about York’s first-ever Homecoming celebration in 1978. He was also involved in the creation of the Ontario University Athletic Association (OUAA) in 1971, now Ontario University Athletics (OUA).

Nobby retired from York in 1992 and was inducted into the University’s Sport Hall of Fame in 2007.

“York will forever be indebted to Nobby for his contributions not only to the football program, but athletics as a whole,” said Jennifer Myers, York’s director of Sport & Recreation. “He mentored countless young student-athletes and helped establish the foundation for athletics at York that has seen so many great successes. We have lost a legend with the passing of Nobby, but his spirit lives on at York through his work.”

“Nobby was a personable, knowledgeable coach who wore his heart on his sleeve for York,” said Cosentino, also a long-time administrator at York University and a former coach with the football team. “I worked with him for 21 years and saw first-hand his passion for the student-athletes. He had to really juggle an athletic program that was in its development stage while starting at the very beginning with the football team, and he did tremendous work with both. It’s a sad time for all of us that knew him.”

Born in Chicago, Ill., Nobby came to York University after a professional career in the Canadian Football League (CFL), where he quarterbacked the Toronto Argonauts to the Grey Cup championship in 1952 and served as the team’s head coach and director of player personnel in the 1960s. He also played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Calgary Stampeders.

Prior to that, he was a quarterback at Miami (Ohio) University and was inducted into the RedHawks Hall of Fame in 1987. He was also very involved in athletics in Mississauga, including as chairman of the Mississauga Sports Council, and was inducted into the city’s Hall of Fame in 1977.

Nobby’s legacy will live on at York through the Nobby Wirkowski Football Award, which was established by Rico DiLello and other alumni to benefit current Lions student-athletes.