Each week, legendary Dinos Sports Information Director and Hall-of-Famer Jack Neumann gives you the inside story on Dinos Football.
Adam Sinagra is on the cusp of a record-breaking season as the Dinos head into their final regular season game Saturday at Alberta – a feat made possible by a unique set of circumstances that brought him to the University of Calgary and continued his remarkable development.
Sinagra and Dinos offensive coordinator
Ryan Sheahan both attended CEGEP John Abbott College in the Montreal suburb of Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que, as quarterbacks. Sinagra's coach at John Abbott was Pat Gregory, who was receivers coach for Ryan's father, Pat Sheahan, when Pat was head coach at Concordia University.
Sheahan coached against current Dinos quarterback coach Erik Glavic when Queen's defeated Calgary in the 2009 Vanier Cup. The Dinos' offensive coordinator and quarterback coach in 2009? It was 1983 Hec Crighton winner Greg Vavra.
Vavra was involved in the recruiting process with Sinagra. Sheahan and Vavra would later be the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, respectively, for the tutelage of eventual Hec Crighton Trophy winner
Andrew Buckley.
"It is pretty good to learn from them (Vavra and Glavic) and have them around," stated the 23-year-old Sinagra who was not heavily recruited while at playing for the John Abbott Islanders.
"Adam was a game changer for us," Gregory told me. "The first thing you notice is his competitiveness. Football meant a lot to him, so he put the time in."
His CEGEP coach has taken great pride and followed Sinagra's development into one of the elite quarterbacks currently in U SPORTS.
"I saw great potential in Adam. I have tremendous trust and respect for his former coach at John Abbott," said Sheahan. "Adam maybe the best deep passer I have seen. He has some school yard elusiveness you can not coach. He has the perfect combination of leader and cowboy."
"He is a ferocious competitor and wants to win at everything."
Before concentrating on football, Sinagra – the team's unofficial locker room ping pong champion – was an elite level rep hockey player growing up in Chateauguay. He participated in numerous high-level tournaments as puck-moving defenseman against various travel teams until he finished bantam. Players he competed against include current National Hockey League players Mike Matheson (Florida), Anthony Duclair (Chicago), and Max Domi (Montreal).
Sinagra joined the Dinos after a stellar career at John Abbott, enrolling at the University of Calgary in January 2016 to prepare for his initial season with the Dinos. He credits his decision to enroll at UCalgary in January a key factor in adjusting to Canada West football.
"Enrolling early helped a ton," he said. "I learned the playbook, got to know the guys, and immersed myself in the culture of the team."
Sinagra backed up starter
Jimmy Underdahl in 2016 but saw more action than anticipated when Underdahl suffered a lower body injury during the 2016 season. He wound up starting two regular season games and three postseason games, including the Mitchell Bowl, and was MVP of the 2016 Hardy Cup win over UBC. Adam came on in relief of Underdahl in 2016 Vanier Cup that saw Calgary drop a close 31-26 decision to Laval.
Adam benefited immensely from the attending the Calgary Stampeders' training camp this past year as part of the Canadian Football League's initiative of inviting U SPORTS quarterbacks to attend CFL camps and hone their skills.
"I benefited from two of the best," said Sinagra of Stamps pivot Bo Levi Mitchell and head coach Dave Dickenson. "I learned to act like a pro, prepare like a pro, take the necessary notes, and saw the pace and speed of the game."
Sinagra has the utmost of respect for Sheahan and knows his season would not be what it has been without the supporting cast around him.
"Ryan does a great job of preparing us each week. He holds us to high standards. He is tough on us and wants us to bring our best," stated the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Sinagra, who is fluent in French and scheduled to graduate with a major in Economics next year. "Having great receivers makes my job easier, they get open and I have to get them the ball. The offensive line has given me time to do my reads and have gotten better each week."
Adam has Calgary connections. A year before joining the Dinos his cousins moved to the southern suburbs of Calgary, where he usually goes for Sunday dinners. He is also fortunate his mother works for Air Canada in management, allowing her to see games when time permits.
Being in Calgary for almost four years, Sinagra admits in French speaking skills are fading. And one thing he does miss? Quebec-made poutine.
"I have tried some out here," he laughed. "It's not the same."
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