A Canadian Football Hall of Fame member with a long history of running successful sports teams and events has been named Brock University’s new Director, Athletics and Recreation.

Neil Lumsden, who won three Grey Cups as an Edmonton Eskimos player and another championship as the General Manager of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, will start his tenure at Brock University Feb. 15.

“As an athlete and in business, I’ve had the great fortune of being in and around people who care and are passionate about what they do and want to succeed. The Brock environment is exactly the same – people are motivated, want to excel and want to be the best,” says Lumsden.

Brian Hutchings, Brock University Vice-President, Administration says Lumsden’s leadership will help make Brock a “preferred place to be when it comes to sports excellence and achievement.”

“I think what you’re going to see under Neil is that we won’t be afraid to use the word win.”

“But it’s about more than just varsity sports. We have recreation programs for all students. His leadership will benefit our 7,000 intramural athletes and our students at large,” Hutchings says.

After Lumsden retired from professional football in 1985, he went on to a highly successful career in sport management. He worked for the Ottawa Rough Riders before joining the Tiger-Cats front office, and then served as president of a successful sport marketing agency.

Lumsden was the COO and General Manager of the 2003 Road World Cycling Championships in Hamilton, and for the past 10 years has headed up sport marketing agency Locker City Sports, which is responsible for hosting the Canadian National Pond Hockey Championships, the largest outdoor hockey event in North America.

Hutchings says Lumsden’s event management background will help lead Brock to host more large-scale sporting events.

“We recently hosted the first basketball games ever at the Meridian Centre. With Neil on board, we can expect to see more Brock varsity events in these larger venues, including hockey, and a push to have Brock host large-scale national championship events and tournaments here in Niagara. Neil has great experience in these areas,” he says.

Hutchings acknowledges hiring a CFL Hall of Fame member as the Director of Athletics and Recreation will likely lead to questions of Brock starting a football program. However, no football plans are in the works.

“My answer is simple. I’m not coming to Brock to be involved in the development of a football program. I’m coming to Brock to be involved in varsity sports and recreation,” says Lumsden, who spent five years on the coaching staff of the Guelph Gryphons, winning a Yates Cup in 2015. He has now stepped down from his role as assistant head coach and running back coach there.

Lumsden might also be a familiar face to those outside of the sports world. He competed in the third season of Amazing Race Canada along with his daughter, Kristin. Lumsden’s son, Jesse, is a former CFL player who is now a member of the Canadian Olympic Bobsled Team.

Neil Lumsden, Brock University’s new Director, Athletics and Recreation.