Adams' passion for equity, diversity, and inclusion shines as Warriors coach and mentor

Burlington, Ont. (by David DiCenzo) - Darrell Adams has never been short on self-belief. The Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator of the Waterloo Warriors football program was groomed to be mentally strong, both by his mother Brenda, and his childhood surroundings in Long Island, NY.

Adams has faced different challenges throughout his athletic career as a player and coach, taking each head on. He learned the business side of football while working tirelessly in the NFL for a season on the New York Jets practice squad. It was a dream come true, though short-lived.  After being released, Adams decided to forge a new path.

“I had the confidence to leave New York and come to Canada, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into,” Adams says, recalling his move north to play in the CFL. “I trained with my friend Richie Williams for the NFL Combine, and we also shared an agent. He had come to Canada and told me about how fun the league was, the culture, and how it was an opportunity to do something different. When I got the call, I said, ‘Hey, why not?’

“Coming to Canada and having the opportunity to play the game I love, while simultaneously, exploring a foreign land, was a blessing.” 

Adams has remained rooted on Canadian soil ever since. He lined up as a tackle on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats D-line for three seasons from 2007 to 2010, embracing not just the game but his new country. Adams, who lives in Mississauga with his wife Amrita and children Isaiah and Aaliyah, sees many comforting similarities between his adopted home in Southern Ontario and Long Island. And in his post-playing life as a coach, he’s been more than willing to share the lessons that helped him succeed.

Sports was the main focus of Adams’ youth. He spent most of his young days on Long Island either playing sports or watching them on TV. Whether it was in the park or his own yard, it was all about playing games with friends.

“In New York, everything was a competition,” says Adams. “Sports, fashion, trying to meet girls. It was always a competition and you had to be on your ‘A’ game.

“But sports were a way to make friends. Growing up as an only child, I had a couple of cousins around, but playing sports allowed me to grow and evolve, and create opportunities to just have some fun and be a kid.”

Adams tried everything, including baseball, basketball, and football. He was fortunate Brenda instilled a strong sense of self and discipline, characteristics that would help him on his athletic journey and beyond. It was just the two of them and they spent a lot of important time together.

“I was raised in the church and my mom taught me everything I needed to know in terms of being responsible, making good decisions, and treating people with respect,” says Adams. “I learned everyday life skills like cooking, cleaning, and doing the laundry at a young age. She worked a lot and did so much for me. Even though she wasn’t always physically there, I knew I was loved and supported. I was fortunate she provided a middle-class environment despite being a single parent.

“Everything I do always reflects on her because she gave me the chance to explore and grow into a young adult with opportunities. I’m indebted to her forever. I’m always calling her, checking on her, and reminding her of everything she allowed me to do and get where I am in life as a coach, a husband, a father, and a mentor.”

With that rock-solid foundation, Adams took off in sports. He was a two-sport athlete at Long Island’s Islip High School, excelling at both hoops and football. New York isn’t known as a recruiting “hotbed” for football. But his high school coach Joe Patrovich informed NCAA coaches about Adams’ work ethic, coachability, and potential. That boost earned him a football scholarship at Villanova University – albeit with a disclaimer. He says the Villanova staff let him know he was a bit of a question mark, and despite his obvious athleticism, he was considered raw from a football standpoint.

“I took that personally,” Adams says. ‘I accepted the challenge. Coming from that competitive background in New York, I was used to showing, proving, and letting people know who I was and what I was all about.

“I hit the gym really hard, and I had the opportunity to learn from some great seniors in my first year.”

Adams thrived at Villanova, captaining the team for three seasons, and earning First Team All-Conference honours three times, all while completing a Communications degree with a minor in Marketing. Joining the New York Jets organization was a dream for a kid from the area. But the business side of the NFL became apparent quickly. Adams says there was no hand-holding or personal involvement. The message was simple – be a pro, take care of your body, and take someone’s job.

Despite being released ahead of the 2007 NFL season, Adams continued to chase his dream, moving to Canada in search of a new start.

“Hamilton was good for me,” Adams says, noting he will always have an affinity for the Hammer, especially downtown. “It was a lot like home, rough and rugged but passionate. It was perfect.

“Getting paid to do what you love was motivating. Once I got my feet wet, it was a matter of letting those competitive juices overtake me. That was one thing about Hamilton, there was energy from those fans. The stadium is in people’s backyards. It felt so personal.”

Adams found his passion for coaching in Hamilton, despite an unconventional entry to the field. American CFL players stayed in Canada on work permits. Adams and Amrita were expecting their first child, but his permit was about to expire. He worried about being sent back to the USA while waiting for his permanent residence, so he asked the Tiger-Cats to hire him in any capacity as he awaited documentation. They obliged, bringing him on as Strength and Conditioning coach and D-line assistant.

After two years on the Hamilton staff, Ryan Sheahan, the current Guelph Gryphons head coach and then a Tiger-Cats running backs coach, introduced Adams to Ryan Bechmanis, the defensive coordinator for the new Carleton football program. In 2013, Adams got his first taste of OUA coaching as the Ravens’ Defensive Line and Strength and Conditioning Coordinator. He joined the UW family in 2016, moving up the ladder to Associate Head Coach, while maintaining Defensive Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator duties.

“By the grace of God, I stayed in the country and took a liking to coaching,” says Adams, who has also had various roles with the Football Canada Cup Team Ontario U-18s. “My approach is to pay it forward, to empower others to do something special with their life. I attribute that to ‘coach Patch,’ who lobbied for me to have an opportunity. There are many options available when you graduate from high school. It’s a matter of what you do with your time and who you spend it with.   

“I love the mentorship aspect. Meeting kids as young as 15 or 16, I have a chance to have a positive influence over their lives and help them grow to be model citizens of the community, good fathers and husbands, and develop as men. I coach for more than the X’s and O’s.”

That desire to impart positive change extends beyond the football field and locker room. In 2020, Adams co-founded UW’s important campus organization The Alliance. As he approaches his seven-year anniversary at Waterloo, Adams says his experiences moving up the football program’s hierarchy gave him the confidence and courage to launch the initiative during a chaotic time.

“It was in the middle of COVID and the brutal lynchings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and as one of three full-time staff members in the athletic department who identify as Black, we had to do something,” Adams says. “We had the full support of our Athletic Director Roly Webster to use our positions to affect change within the Waterloo network.

“The group started with what we called a Healing Circle for those who identified as Black. It was July 2020 and we had about 40 participants come to this talk hosted by Rohan Thompson of Breakthrough Counselling Services. Rohan did a great job of having an open forum and talking about the traumas we (Black people) were dealing with.”
There was a follow-up meeting centered on allyship (for people of all races and ethnicities) before a general call to action to the entire UW community, welcoming those who wanted to be involved. The Alliance established a series of action items, emphasizing the need to be proactive.

“We didn’t want to be a group that just said we were against racism, wave a flag, and not do anything,” Adams says. “We decided to be an action-based group. Education is a focal point and we’ve had a number of guest speakers come to meetings to share their expertise. We are creating an environment that encourages everyone to take ownership of their own knowledge regarding anti-Black racism, as well as empowering people to step outside their comfort zone and utilize this knowledge to take action in their own home and workplace.”

One notable action item is an expression session for students on campus to discuss their experiences at UW, and brainstorm ideas to create a more inclusive atmosphere. These focus groups take place once a semester. Another is a learn-to-swim program for members of the community who identify as Black, Indigenous, or racialized. In 2021, 25 women participated and in 2022, that number ballooned to nearly 50 (men and women). The Alliance has doubled in size since its inception and is still welcoming new members, especially from the student body.

In addition to co-founding the Alliance, Adams is involved in other EDI initiatives and organizations. In 2022, he participated in the CFL’s inaugural Diversity in Football, serving as a guest coach with the Toronto Argonauts during training camp. The year prior, Adams and several other OUA football coaches collaborated and organized the ‘We Are One United Against Racism’ campaign, which has now been adopted by the OUA and other sports. He is a member and mentor coach of the BFCC (Black Football Coaches of Canada) and a mentor coach for the University of Waterloo’s inaugural BAC (Black Apprenticeship Coach) program. Last November, Adams was presented with the first-ever OUA Football Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award for his cumulative efforts.

“I am a proud husband and father, a devout Christian,” says Adams. “I am privileged to spread God’s word and do God’s work, especially pertaining to equity, diversity, and inclusion.”