Joe Paopao named head coach of Waterloo Warriors football program

a media release from the department of athletics

The University of Waterloo’s Department of Athletics is pleased to announce Joe Paopao as the full-time head coach of the Waterloo Warriors football program. 

After serving the 2012 season as interim head coach, Paopao will begin full-time duties, effective immediately.  Paopao served as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach prior to assuming the interim head coaching duties last season.

“Joe did a tremendous job for our program and student-athletes last year during a vital period of transition,” commented Director of Athletics Bob Copeland. “He has brought a new attitude and positive momentum to the locker room, and has earned the confidence of our players, administration, and alumni,” added Copeland.

Paopao led the Warriors to a 2-6 record last season including a dominant 48-29 upset victory over the Windsor Lancers in the last game of the season. Both Paopao and his players are energized heading into the 2013 campaign as the youngest team in the CIS gains much needed experience and depth through highly focused recruiting efforts.

“I am extremely proud to make this full-time commitment to the University of Waterloo,” commented Paopao.  “We have tremendous student-athletes and it will be my privilege to lead these fine young men on and off the field,” added Paopao.  “Last year was a sign of things to come and with the addition of several highly touted recruits and a core group of veterans returning we will continue to get better each and every day.”

One key veteran player who looks to make a significant impact once again in 2013 is first-team OUA all-star and CIS all-Canadian Nick Anapolsky.  Anapolsky, who collected a team record 63 catches last season, is thrilled at the news that Paopao has been hired full-time.

“Coach Paopao has taught me a lot about myself and how to be a better receiver,” mentioned Anapolsky.  “The season I had was in large part due to the coaching and positive environment Paopao instills on each and every one of us.  Moving forward the Warriors have a lot to be excited about.”

Paopao has an extensive Canadian Football League (CFL) coaching resume on top of his illustrious CFL playing career. Most recently, in 2006, he was the offensive coordinator for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. From 2001-2005 Joe served as head coach of the Ottawa Renegades. He has also coached with Edmonton, British Columbia, and Winnipeg in the CFL.

In 2001, Paopao was the offensive coordinator for the (now defunct) San Francisco Demons of the XFL. He is a member of the B.C. Lions Wall of Fame (2007) and has also been inducted into the Long Beach State Hall of Fame (2006).

Paopao’s playing career began in B.C. where he was the quarterback for the Lions in 1978.  There, he led the Lions in passing for the next three seasons and set a CFL record in 1979 for most pass completions in a single game.  Paopao enjoyed a 12 year CFL career before becoming a highly respected CFL coach and subsequently a coach with the Waterloo Warriors in 2007.

Back to top

Student team gives their ideas wings

Students from the Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre (Conrad Centre) are participating in a global competition sponsored by aircraft manufacturer Airbus, called "Airbus Fly Your Ideas." The contest is open to teams of students from around the world and challenges them to develop ideas for a more environmentally sustainable aviation industry.

Team Aerodynamix consists of Conrad Centre master's students Sen Sachi, Steven Wang, Ramzi Samara, Gokul Krishnan, and Sibi Sutty, and they have made the cut from 600 entrants in the first round to 102 teams in Round Two of the competition.

Each team has an academic mentor, in this case Conrad Centre and management sciences professor Douglas Sparkes, who lends support and advice in the development of their proposal, an Airbus Mentor, who provides similar support on the engineering side, and an Airbus Expert, an employee specializing in a relevant field related to the team's proposal.

Team Aerodynamix's project involves Cloud Fuel Technology - a technology that harvests water from atmospheric moisture to provide a replenishable hydrogen source for fuel cell systems on aircraft.

As part of the second round of competition, the teams must submit a report of no more than 5,000 words, and a video in support of their project. Round Two closes at noon on April 12. The projects will be revised by Airbus assessors, and five teams will be selected for the third and final round, which involves preparing a presentation to be delivered to a jury. Round Three starts on May 6, with the final event taking place the week of June 10.

Back to top

Annual staff conference is on the books

with files from Mark Lisetto-Smith

The office of Organizational & Human Development will be hosting their Sixth Annual Staff Conference scheduled on April 9^thand 10^th, 2013.  The theme of this year’s conference is Connections, focusing on the relationship between our work lives, our professional skills, personal well-being and the search for balance.

This year the lineup of keynote speakers include: Dan Heath (How We Decide), Linda Duxbury (Work-Life Balance: Rhetoric versus Reality), Jan Wong (Out of the Blue: Workplace Depression & Recovery), Amber MacArthur (Relentless Adaptation), and Drew Dudley (Redefining Leadership). You can personalize your schedule by registering online and selecting which workshops you would like to attend. Most workshops are repeated. Registration begins Monday February 25^th at 12pm.

In addition, OHD is looking for volunteers to help with the conference. If you're interested, please contact John Fedy at jafedy@uwaterloo.ca. More information is available through the OHD website: www.uwaterloo.ca/ohd.

Back to top

Thursday's notes

Nominations are still open for a number of faculty and graduate student seats on the university's Senate. The full list of available positions is online, as is the nomination form. Nominations are due by 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 1.

This is a reminder that tickets are still available for an International Women's Day Dinner at the University Club, hosted by the university's Women's Studies program, on Friday, March 8. Professor Wendy Mitchinson, Canada Research Chair in Gender and Medical History, will be the keynote speaker, with a talk entitled "Fighting Fat: Mother-Blaming in Canada, 1920-80."

Graduate Student Association Executive Team for 2013-2014 is off to the races. The team is as follows: Robert D.E. Henderson, president; Maryam Shahtaheri, vice-president communications & events; Matthew Gaster, vice-president external; Michael Makahnouk, vice-president internal; Coleen Even, vice-president student affairs.

On February 26^th, students will show off their talent at The Bombshelter Pub to be selected for the finale of Campus Idol. The semi-final show will be held from 8:30 p.m. to midnight. Details about the finale, which is happening on March 8th, will be announced after the show. At the finale, other university and college students will compete against uWaterloo for the title. The last Campus Idol winner was an uWaterloo undergraduate, and expectations are high for the contestants. Tickets for the February 26th performances are available online.

Back to top