Hall of Fame
One of the most decorated football players to don a York jersey, Dirk Leers is a two-time recipient of the J.P. Metras trophy for Ontario lineman of the year (1984, 1985), one of only two players in league history to win the award more than once. A member of the football team from 1981-85, Leers was named an Ontario all-star on three occasions (1983-85) and a CIAU all-Canadian twice (1984-85). He captained the team to one of its best-ever finishes at 5-2 in 1985.
Dirk Leers’ motto is “work hard and play hard,” and he has done both of those things to the fullest. Along the way, he found success in unlikely places and now works to pass along the lessons he’s learned to young men in his community.
A kid who loved sports but struggled to find his niche, Leers was never recruited and didn’t try out for the football team in his first year because he didn’t think he’d make it. But his roommates in his second year were all football players and they convinced him to try out for the squad. He made the team as a back-up and three games into the season the starting nose guard got injured. Leers took over and held down the starting job for the next four seasons.
“I remember the first time we played Guelph, it was in my rookie season and their offence was on our one-yard line threatening to score,” said Leers. “I made a play that collapsed the line and the running back ran into the back of his players and never made the touchdown. That play brought Guelph’s head coach over to me at the end of the game to congratulate me. That was the first time I thought maybe I was pretty good at the game.”
Leers was more than “pretty good” at the game. One of the most decorated football players to don a York jersey, he had a stellar four-year career that included being named a CIAU all-Canadian twice and an OUAA all-star three times. He is also a two-time recipient of the J.P. Metras trophy for Ontario lineman of the year, one of only two players in league history to win the award more than once.
After graduating from York with his undergraduate and education degrees, Leers had the opportunity to play professional football in the Canadian Football League. The teams wanted him as a linebacker instead of in his preferred position as a nose guard, so instead he went to Chicago to complete a master’s degree in theology. He has since combined his degrees into a rewarding career teaching troubled youths in high school, where he has applied not only his studies but also the lessons he learned on the football field.
“Hard work and determination has more to do with your success than natural talent,” Leers says. “I know that it was my constant training in the gym and the desire to do my best that enabled me to be successful in football. From this, I have taught students never to give up and to continue to strive to fulfill their dreams, that each failure brings you one step closer to finding what you are good at.
“For me, football was great because there was one specialized position that fit me perfectly – nose guard. I teach co-op classes and I encourage students to keep trying different placements because they may eventually find what uniquely suits them like I did in football. This is important because the students I teach have rarely found much success in high school and it is wonderful when I help them find their unique strengths which can help them be successful in life.”
Football also remains a part of his life as he recently started coaching his 10-year-old son’s team.
