50TH VANIER CUP INTERVIEW SERIES: 1966
A conversation with...
Terry Dolan, quarterback, St. Francis Xavier University X-Men
In Vanier Cup II, freshman quarterback Terry Dolan completed 12 of 19 passes for 282 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions. His 4 TD passes are still tied for most in the game's history. StFX jumped out to a commanding 27-0 lead midway through the second quarter and never looked back en route to a 40-14 win over Waterloo Lutheran at Varsity Stadium in Toronto.
What is your major memory of the entire Vanier Cup week and the overall experience?
It was a major reward for a great season in the Atlantic conference. We had only been informed the week before that if we beat Saint Mary's for the conference title, we were going. There was an airline strike at the time, so we had to go up to Toronto by train. We left Antigonish on Wednesday and finally arrived late Thursday night. The Vanier Cup organizers did a great job with outside events but, in truth, we were really focused on the game.
What is your one major lasting memory of the actual game?
As a quarterback, it was the coming together of our offence on that day. We had an excellent running game all season but the passing game had been inconsistent. It was all working that day!
What do you remember as the key play of the game?
I think it was our second touchdown, coming fairly soon after our first. Waterloo just weren't ready for the strength of our offence and we were pretty relentless in keeping the pressure on.
What was your personal greatest play or greatest moment?
Overall, it was probably the four touchdown passes, and a 27-0 lead by partway through the second quarter.
Did anything unusual or out of the ordinary happen during the game or during Vanier week?
The train trip up and back was quite the experience. There had been a plan to work out at McGill University during our stopover in Montreal, but neither transportation nor field was available, so we had basically gone from Tuesday to Friday without a practice.
Did the coaches do anything different from normal routine in the preparation for the game?
Nothing out of the ordinary, although Coach Don Loney had played many CFL games in Toronto's Varsity Stadium so was able to tell us lots of stories from his career.
How did you or the team react to the stadium, the crowd, the weather?
True to form, there was a large contingent of StFX alumni and supporters at the game, which, for we first-year players, was a sign of what we'd been told about "X" grads maintaining allegiance. We didn't really leave much for the Waterloo supporters to cheer about.
What are your memories of the post-game celebrations on the field and/or in the dressing room?
Initially, it was bedlam... and then a quiet satisfaction seemed to take over the room. For me, the looks on the faces of Coach Loney and John 'Packy' McFarland was special – they had put it all together for us, and we executed as well as we had all year. As well, the graduating players seemed to have the biggest smiles of all!
What are your memories of the trip back home?
Two days on a train with a championship team, with a few 'brew runs' at selected stops along the way, there was quite a celebration!
What was the reaction on campus when the team returned?
We arrived back around midnight on Monday and an estimated 2000 students and townspeople were out to greet us pretty well all along West Street leading onto the campus. Then an assembly in the Chapel theatre and much mingling, answering questions, etc. I think it was probably sometime around dawn when most of us got to sleep. And that mingling/greeting kept up for most of the week following.
At the time, how did winning the Vanier Cup change your everyday life?
While it didn't "change" things, we certainly had an increased sense of pride in what we had done and in how we had represented StFX. Personally, I guess it gave me added assurance that I could play QB at that level of competition.
How often to you reminisce about your Vanier Cup win?
It seems to come up whenever there's discussion about CIS football. Friends here in Calgary are aware of it, so it's often they who bring it out. Some of my former high school players have played in the game with the U of A Bears or the U of C Dinos, so that's good for a lot of talk.
Looking back, does the win feel that much more special knowing the 1966 X-Men are still the only StFX team to win the Vanier Cup to this day?
I guess it's nice to have that 'unique' distinction, but most of us expected to get back to it again and, over the years, have watched and hoped that X would get back to it. It's not an easy task.
What's more special, a Vanier Cup ring or the X-ring?
We were in the pre-ring era, but the Vanier Cup sponsors presented us with very attractive individual plaques. For me, the X-ring represents the full experience of attending there, and the Vanier was one of the many highlights of that whole experience.
What degree did you receive from StFX?
I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Bachelor of Education.
What career path did life take you after your Vanier Cup win?
The path didn't start for another three years as the Vanier win came in my first season, but it was a continuation of what I had already thought of as a career - play as long as I could, teach and coach so that I could pass on the things that I'd gained from the experiences. It was a rewarding 37-year career after my playing days ended. Though retired for several years, I'm still involved behind the scenes with high school athletics - an old guy still pushing what we, the CIS and the Vanier represent: athletics with education.