University of British Columbia Athletics

Bob Laycoe is one of UBC’s most respected football coaches in addition to being an outstanding Thunderbird athlete.

In the summer of 1969 Bob completed his Master’s degree in Physical Education (Kinesiology) at UBC after playing a season of Thunderbird football. That ’68 season he was selected the team’s Most Inspirational Player. This same 1968/69 season Bob was a member of the UBC wrestling team and proved to be one of our very best. He was the Western Canadian Champion, National (USPORTS) Champion and Canadian National Champion.

Following this one year at UBC, Bob served four years as head coach and Athletics Director at the University of Saskatchewan. In 1973 Laycoe returned to UBC, joining the staff at the School of Physical Education where he was involved in the academic planning for the school. He was also named head coach of the UBC wrestling team and assistant coach with the Thunderbird football team. As coach of the wrestling team from 1973/74 through ‘78/79, Bob guided his teams to four Western Canadian University titles. In addition, he was selected to coach Canadian teams at several international wrestling events including the Commonwealth Games. In 1978 Bob was named Canada’s university wrestling Coach of the Year.

From 1973 through 1987 Laycoe was well known as a football coach, most notably as a defensive coordinator with some of UBC’s best football teams under head coach Frank Smith. These teams included both the 1982 and 1986 Vanier Cup champions and the first UBC team to reach the Vanier Cup in 1978.

Laycoe, son of former NHL player and Coach Hal Laycoe, earns high praise from his former coaching mentor and friend, Frank Smith and former UBC star Danny Smith. Frank remembers (Laycoe) “Immediately made an impact on the program coaching defense and working with special teams… Bob’s rapport with his players was remarkable… Bob’s defense… was one of the most feared in the country.” Hall of Fame QB Danny Smith lauds Laycoe’s training techniques and meticulous preparation… “The combination of Frank Smith and Bob Laycoe was a dominating coaching force.”

According to coach Smith, Laycoe was a master recruiter (in a highly competitive environment) while his biggest contribution was his strength and conditioning program. Bob’s thoroughness in preparation and motivation “… was a huge factor on the field and in the CFL aspirations of many of our fine players.” Danny Smith feels “Although Coach Laycoe’s outstanding coaching capabilities were obvious to those of us who played for him at the time, it became obvious to many others when he became head football coach of the University of Toronto and took a losing program and turned it around to win the Vanier Cup in 1993… UBC should be very proud to include him as an alumnus.”

Researched and written by Fred Hume, UBC Athletics Historian