Men’s soccer: Algonquin Wolves head coach Angus Wong to be inducted into OCAA Hall of Fame

Angus Wong, head coach of the Algonquin Wolves men’s soccer team, will be inducted into the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Hall of Fame in recognition of his impressive three-season career with the Thunder from 2002 to 2004.

In many ways, Wong was the “missing piece” when, as a student, he joined the Thunder as a goalkeeper in 2002. At the time, Algonquin’s sports teams were known as the “Thunder,” not the “Wolves.”

The Thunder were fresh off a defeat in the OCAA finals and a loss in the 1999 Canada Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) national championship three years prior.

Wong quickly established himself as a reliable shot-stopper and defensive linchpin, leading the Thunder to a dominant and historic season, winning the CCAA national championship alongside an OCAA title.

The Thunder’s 2002 championship marked the first-ever CCAA gold medal in Algonquin team sports.

By 2004, Wong had risen to the role of captain, becoming a commanding voice in the net.

“I think in my rookie year, I was probably somebody who was a bit more reserved and quiet, but by the time I was captain in 2004, I was more of a vocal leader,” said Wong.

Wong closed out his time with the Thunder by winning a second OCAA trophy in 2004, alongside many individual accolades and awards.

Despite his captaincy and leadership on the field, he never considered transitioning to coaching during his playing days. But in 2017, Wong made the decision to rejoin Algonquin soccer as an assistant coach, eventually becoming head coach in 2022.

“As a goalkeeper, you see the game from behind, which gives you a very good vantage point,” said Wong. “But coaching required me to see the game from the sidelines, which was a bit of an adjustment.”

With Wong in charge, the Wolves have seen a resurgence, returning to the OCAA and CCAA finals last season, being narrowly defeated both times.

Wong’s leadership and mentoring continue to motivate his current players. Graduating senior Oscar Forward credited Wong for getting him back into soccer.

“I wasn’t playing soccer when he originally gave me a phone call three years ago to come to his training camp. I had hung up the boots, as one could say,” said Forward. “He convinced me to come out and then, you know, the next three years of my life were blessed to be part of the Algonquin men’s soccer team and share my time with that amazing coach and staff.”

Wong, who was voted Coach of the Year in 2024, remains humble, attributing his success as a player and a coach to his teammates, staff and players.

Reflecting on his favourite moment as a coach so far, Wong recalled the Wolves’ semi-final comeback victory against Vancouver’s Langara College last season.

“Connor David scored the game-tying goal and he also scored the game-winning goal in a short period of time, with his family in the crowd in Fredericton,” said Wong. “That was a special moment to see him accomplish that and to share it with the team and staff. It was a lot of fun.”

The Hall of Fame ceremony will be held on May 5 in Toronto.