Remembering Coach Matteo Ammirati
It was an honour to formally acknowledge Coach Matteo Ammirati and his family in Council Chambers today. Thank you so much Matteos' wife, Jennifer, for being with us as Council paid tribute to her remarkable husband.
This fall, as Calgary prepares to host the Grey Cup, we are able to witness the joy and celebration of our city’s rich football community. Deputy Mayor McLean and I experienced that spirit firsthand a couple of weeks ago at the grand opening of the Fonda Park flag football fields. Spend any time with Calgary’s football community and you will feel it right away: it is one big family. Today, that family is grieving the unexpected loss of an influential player, coach, and community builder, Matteo Ammirati.
It is with a heavy heart that I offer Council’s condolences to the family, friends, and athletes of Coach Matt. His influence on our city’s football fabric is legendary. As a player he played for both our Calgary Colts and Calgary DINOS. As a Coach he mentored countless players of all ages, with teams spanning nearly every community in north Calgary and area. He helped build the Calgary Bears Peewee program from the ground up and was one of the first Coaches with the Chestermere Chiefs. He coached with the Calgary Hilltoppers Spring Team and the Bowness High School Trojans. He also mentored some of the Adult teams with Alberta Football League’s, the Calgary Wolfpack and Airdrie Irish.
My family had one season with Coach Matt, when our son played spring league with the Hilltoppers, but one season was enough to see his passion for helping players grow as athletes and as young men. If a player didn’t have the proper equipment, Matteo would simply go out and buy it for them. I’m learning now that this was a common occurrence for him. Coach Matt believed everyone should be able to play, whether they could afford it or not. Even after our spring season ended, he followed his players’ progress on their fall teams and cheered them on.
To his Wife Jennifer and Daughter Kyla – thank you. Thank you for sharing Coach Matt with so many of Calgary’s young athletes. His legacy is significant and will have a lasting impact on so many of their lives.
Leaders like Matteo don’t come along often. I saw it myself in just one season, and I know many families saw it for far longer. His loss leaves a hole in Calgary’s football community that will not be easily filled. But I take comfort in knowing the young athletes he mentored carry his lessons with them, and that so many of them will become future leaders because of his influence. On behalf of Council and all Calgarians, thank you, Coach Matt.
If friends so desire, donations can be made to Kyla’s Educational Fund: kylaseducationfund@gmail.com; Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared with Matteo’s family here.
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