York’s football program gets new recruiting coordinator

Victoria Alarcon
Sports & Health Editor
Former University of Toronto in-season recruiting coordinator Dan Younis is going from blue to red this year: York University’s football program is welcoming the young coach as their new recruiting coordinator for the 2011 season.
The decision comes after York head coach Warren Craney felt York’s football program was missing an important coaching role and a leader who could manage all recruits coming to York.

“It’s one of the most important coaches to have on staff,” said Craney. “You’re only as good as your recruits and we just needed someone of Dan’s knowledge and expertise and his roots in the GTA community to organize us.”
So far, York meets 600 to 700 kids a year, said Craney, and Younis’s biggest responsibility will be weeding out the good from the bad.
The move could be what York’s been looking for, as the team hasn’t gone to the playoffs since 2004 and hasn’t even seen a win in the last two years.
“York needs talent,” said Younis. “York has a fantastic coaching staff, a new administration that believes in them and top talent needs to come to York in order for York to be successful.”
Coming from a team who has struggled, too, to earn a few wins, Younis will be taking his experience from being part of both the Varsity Blues’ team and coaching to York’s playing field.
“He’s got good roots in community football and he’s been a good recruiter,” said University of Toronto director of recruiting John Engel, who notes the Varsity Blues have gaineda lot of momentum in the last few years because of their recruiting class, as the team went from the bottom of the standings to seventh.
For Younis, the decision to switch from the Toronto Varsity Blues to the York Lions came after he felt that it would lead him to bigger opportunities and give him growth.
“I loved University of Toronto, but they were a full staff and an established program. York offered me a great opportunity to be a part of the team and I felt as a person who wants a career out of coaching, I thought it would be stupid not to take the opportunity.”
“I believe in coach Craney and his visions, and that’s why I’m here. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think we could win.”
Craney said York leads the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) in the number of commitments to the team and is up to 37 recruits; however, the real accomplishment will be seeing where the recruits take York next season.