By Kevin Barrett
Published in the Telegraph-Journal on March 31, 2009
Appeared on Page B6

SAINT JOHN - For a sport that produces results instantly, Larry Harlow and his Saint John women's football team must wait for the results of an online contest that could result in a $5,000 prize for the association.

"We are all sitting with our fingers crossed," said Harlow, one of four finalists in the TSN/Chunky coach of the year contest that wrapped up early Monday morning.

Since March 2, the general public was encouraged to vote online for Canada's top coach and Harlow's players were busy for the entire moth drumming up support for the coach, who introduced female tackle to the city and the province, a growth area for an association on the move.

At stake is an elaborate grand prize, which includes $5,000 of equipment for the organization of the winner's choice as well as a TSN-sponsored coaching clinic for Harlow's players, featuring television football analyst Glen Suitor.

The finalists were selected from more than 500 entries submitted in January. Voting started March 2 and people were allowed to vote once per day.

There were four finalists but Harlow and Stephen Burke, a Paralympic cycling coach from Calgary, flipped back and forth in the battle for top spot during most of the voting period, including the final hours of contest.

Harlow, who is also the president of Football New Brunswick, thanks the people of Saint John and New Brunswick for their support and figures the exposure for his sport was the greatest benefit of the campaign.

"It was great for us," Harlow said. "I talked with people and I told them that for five years I have been trying to get the message out about women's tackle football. I don't know how many people came up to me and talked about it during the month of March. It has been totally unbelievable."

The official results will be announced Thursday.

"To be in the final four and to get the message out there about how great a sport women's tackle football is was satisfaction enough," Harlow said. "But for the girls to win this would be an unbelievable event."