This past weekend at the Ontario Football Association (OFA) Red-Black Awards Banquet, OFC Past President Paul Bartle was honoured as the first ever recipient of the OFA Life Time Achievement Award.  

Paul has been involved in junior football in Canada for over 40 years.  After playing for the Brantford Bisons he joined the executive board and held many positions from 1974-1982, including team President.  Paul has also remained involved with the Bison alumni. In 1982 he was asked to join the OFC’s executive, where he has sat since 1983, acting as President of the OFC for two separate terms and currently holds the position of Past President.

In 1987, while sitting on the OFC executive Paul was elected Deputy Commissioner of the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) and held that position from 1987-1988.  

The CJFL honoured Paul as a Life member in 1994 for his dedicated services at the league level.  Then in 2005, he was honoured again, this time with the CJFL’s highest award; the Ed Henick Award for Meritorious Service for his lengthy contributions to amateur football in Canada.  At the time he was just the fifth individual to have received the Ed Henick Award.  Currently only 11 individuals to have ever received this honour.  

In 2009 Paul was inducted into the Brantford Sports Hall of Recognition as a builder in the sport of football before receiving the Investors Group Award from Football Canada in 2011.

Congratulations Paul on being the first to receive the OFA Life Time Achievement Award and thank you for all that you have done for amateur football in Canada.