Corey Mace didn’t set out to be a trailblazer.

As we celebrate Black History Month in February, however, the head coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders also understands his place in history. When the Riders hired Mace in November 2023, he followed Bob Dyce as the second Black Canadian head coach in CFL history.

And now, with Saskatchewan’s triumph over Montreal in the 112th Grey Cup, Mace is the first Black Canadian head coach to win a Grey Cup.

“You know, knowing me (and) telling me or, I mean, looking at myself and thinking of myself as a trailblazer, you know, I’d be full of it to tell you that,” Mace told CFL.ca this week.

“That’s just kind of not how I operate, man. I really just intrinsically look at the job that’s in front of me and just try to be the best at what it is I do. Now, you know, fast forward a bunch of years and we look back and maybe there’s going to be some cool things that were a part of the journey. But ultimately, (it’s about) how in the heck do we win this next game.”

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Saskatchewan Roughriders’ head coach Corey Mace led his team to a win over the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th Grey Cup (Arthur Ward/CFL.ca)

And that singular drive is one of the driving forces behind Mace’s meteoric rise up the coaching ranks. After all, Mace is still just over a decade removed from his last game as a player when he helped Calgary win the 102nd Grey Cup in 2014. Since then, it’s been nothing but success with the Stamps, Argonauts, and now in two seasons calling the shots for the Roughriders.

And yet, even with that laser focus on getting the job done, Mace is also aware of the impact he’s making.

“As far as being somebody that maybe someone takes inspiration from watching from afar, you know, that’s an honour, regardless of what it is they’re pulling from me,” Mace admitted between a workout and continued preparation for CFL Free Agency, which opens later this month.

“To sit here and say that I’m not aware of (the significance) of being a Black coach or a Black Canadian coach, you know, I’d be lying to you. I know what that means. I know what that means to me. And I just want to try to be the best coach for our staff and for our players so that we can be the best team.”

Mace has had a unique journey in football, on both sides of the border. Growing up in Port Moody, BC and a graduate of Port Moody High School, Mace went south to continue his career at Palomar College in California and then the University of Wyoming. He then spent two seasons with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills before returning to Canada to join the Stamps in 2010.

 

Those experiences have given Mace a unique perspective on the progress that’s been made. No one can deny professional sports, football included, has much work to do when it comes to hiring from diverse backgrounds. But Mace says strides are being made.

“Being around Black players, being around Black coaches from both sides of the border here, (they’re) top tier. I’ve certainly been around more than enough Black coaches and players to know that they’re more than qualified to get the job done. So, for Black History Month, I think it’s important to just keep bringing it up.”

And as Mace’s star keeps rising, one thing that continues to keep him grounded is the locker room. It’s a place where people from all different backgrounds and walks of life have to come together for a common goal. And for Mace, that’s important…and not just during Black History Month.

“I mean, not just February…it’s all 12 months, you know what I mean? You talk about the CFL, and we’ve got Global players from all over the place. Guys from all different pockets of the United States and all across Canada, right? They literally might not speak the same language. They have different understandings of what reality and life is.

“You just have to have empathy for each other, man. These guys, they put each other first and then listen and learn from one another. It’s empowering to see when people do that how far they can go to get it.”