University of Waterloo Athletics

Chris Bertoia enters his 8^th season as Head Coach after leading the 2019 Warriors to their first playoff victory in 20 years with a 44-21 win over Ottawa. In 2017, Bertoia was named the OUA Coach of the Year. 

Since taking over the Warriors in 2015, Bertoia has had nine of his student-athletes receive U SPORTS All-Canadian recognitions as well as seeing star quarterback, Tre Ford win the U SPORTS Rookie of the Year (2017) and U SPORTS Player of the Year (2021). On top of the on-field success, Bertoia continues to foster an environment that allows his student-athletes to succeed in the classroom with 47 players from the 2021 roster earning Academic All-Canadian Honours. Coach Bertoia continues to emphasize the importance of recruiting and has helped foster a positive and encouraging environment making Waterloo a top choice for student-athletes across Canada. Bertoia has also seen 8 Warriors drafted into the CFL including Jesse Gibbon who was drafted second overall to Hamilton in 2019.

A graduate of the University of Waterloo, where he majored in Sociology with a minor in Legal Studies, Bertoia was a four-year starter for the Warriors football team, earning OUA all-star honours as an offensive tackle. Bertoia played in four consecutive Yates Cup Championships, winning the Yates Cup twice in 1997 and 1999.
 
Prior to his role at Waterloo, Bertoia was the lead assistant with the Western Mustangs football program as the Offensive Line Coach and Recruiting Coordinator.  Bertoia held this role since 2009.  Coach Bertoia built a reputation as tireless worker and top recruiter while at Western helping to gain the commitments of many nationally recognized blue-chip recruits, including three consecutive Doug Shuh award winners from the Waterloo region.   During his tenure at Western Coach Bertoia also had 9 of his former O-Line players attend CFL training camps via the draft and free agency.
 
Prior to his role at Western, Bertoia was the full-time assistant coach at St. Francis Xavier University for four and a half years.  While at St. FX, Bertoia carried multiple roles as the offensive line coach, defensive line coach, recruiting coordinator and strength and conditioning coach.  With the X-Men, Bertoia helped to coach the team to the Jewett Cup AUS conference championship game three out of four years. Three of the offensive linemen and one defensive lineman he coached at St. FX were drafted into the CFL.
 
Coach Bertoia was the Head Coach of the Varsity London Jr. Mustangs of the OVFL during the 2012 and 2013 seasons.  In 2012 the Jr. Mustangs went 11-0 in winning the provincial championship.  Coach Bertoia was named the OVFL Coach of the Year. 
 
Coach Bertoia also held an assistant coach position with the OFA (Ontario Football Alliance) with Team Ontario for the Under-18 Canada Cup Tournament from 2010 - 2015.  In 2010 Bertoia was the offensive line coach, he then held the Offensive Coordinator role from 2012-2015.  The highlight of his tenure as an assistant coach with Team Ontario was in 2014 when the team captured the National Championship in Saskatoon.  Bertoia’s offense averaged 31 points per game.
 
At the club level, Bertoia served as the Offensive Line Coach for the Canadian Junior Football League’s London Beefeaters (2002-2004) and was the Offensive Line Coach at London’s Catholic Central High School (2000-2003).
 
Coach Bertoia is passionate about the game and has a great rapport with the players.  Chris resides in Woodstock, ON with his wife Tracie and their two children Johnny and Emma.