After graduating from Kitsilano High School where he excelled at baseball, basketball, football, and rugby. In those early years he was a teammate and opponent of BCFOA Life Member Wayne Steele, and it was Max who first recruited Wayne into officiating football. Max attended Western Washington University on a football scholarship, completing a degree in Education. Max enjoyed over 30 years teaching and coaching in Burnaby schools.
Max was one of the best teachers of the Game to ever lace up cleats. He was a teacher by trade; a teacher on the field, a teacher off the field, and that made him a great life skills teacher.
Max excelled at rule interpretations and spent many hours teaching, mentoring, and developing his fellow officials. Until health-related issues curtailed his BCFOA activities, he was for many a valuable resource for information.
He was one of the local officials that officiated with the Bellingham Football Officials in Washington state. Among small college football’s best and most-distinguished officials during the 1970’s and 80’s.
Recognized on both sides of the border for excellence, Max paved the way for acceptance by Canadians in USA-based football conferences.
Former SFU Head Football Coach and Athletic Director Lorne (Joe) Davis is quoted as saying:
“It is one of my great pleasures and honors in life to say that I knew Max in a variety of ways. First, I knew and admired him as his coach in Football and in Rugby. In both of these sports he was always an outstanding example to each of his teammates. His courage, desire to win, tremendous tenacity, integrity, plus his willingness to give 100% of himself at all times were unequaled.
When Max made a commitment, in playing a sport, officiating or teaching a class, you could always expect that he would put the player’s, his student’s, or teammate’s, goals and ambitions ahead of his own personal ambitions.
Max as a player, as an official, or as a teacher, was “one of a kind” who was admired, deeply respected and loved by all of who knew him. It is a great honor for me to say that he was always an inspiration to me as a coach.”
Lorne (Joe) Davies
Max passed away peacefully at the age of 73 on September 27th, 2012.