Gino Arcaro, B.Sc., M.Ed.
Head Coach

Coach Arcaro has had a unique 31-year professional career, acquiring extensive expertise in policing, college teaching, football coaching, and strength training. Currently, he is professor and program coordinator of the Police Foundations and Law & Security Administration programs at Niagara College, Welland, Ontario.

He is the head coach of the Niagara X-Men, a collegiate club team formed in 2003 that competes in the USA against NCAA Division 3 junior varsity teams and American community colleges. The primary mission of the Niagara X-Men is to provide university recruiting opportunities to Canadian student-athletes by sending game film to North American universities for evaluation.

During a 31-year coaching career, he has coached 38 seasons at five levels (high school, OVFL, CJFL, college, semi-pro) including 23 seasons as head coach. His head coaching experience includes:
  • Hamilton Wildcats (semi-pro/senior), where he led them to a 20-2 record during the team's first two seasons including a 9-0 American semi-pro season in the team's expansion season
  • Hill Park High School (Hamilton, Ontario)
  • Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School (Hamilton, Ontario)
  • Port Colborne High School (Ontario)
  • Niagara Colts (OVFL)
  • Oakville Longhorns (semi-pro/senior)
He has also served as the defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator of the Burlington Braves in the CJFL.

Coach Arcaro is currently working on a Ph.D., where he is completing a dissertation in police interrogation.

In 1975, he joined the Niagara Regional Police Force at age 18. He has 15 years experience as a police officer with the N.R.P.F where his career included:
  • 9 years in uniform patrol branch, as a patrol officer and SWAT team member (3 years), and
  • 6 years as a detective in the criminal investigation branch.
He has 16 years college teaching experience including 9 years as program coordinator of two law enforcement programs.

His writing career includes extensive police and football literature. He is the author of 14 editions of 6 police textbooks and has been published extensively by three law enforcment publications:
  • Blue Line magazine (Markham, Ontario)
  • Canadian Journal of Police and Security (Regina, Sask.)
  • Reid & Associates Interrogation (Illinois)
Seven football articles have been published by three coaching publication since 1997.

His 36 years of strength training experience includes 21 years of strength coaching, during which he has trained a wide range of athletes who have achieved considerable success in football, hockey, and martial arts. He is the founder/owner of X Fitness, a 24-hour gym in Welland, Ontario.
Articles by Gino Arcaro:
“Corner-In” Concept in the Passing Game
The Red Zone "Bind" Concept
Dr. Darryl Garner, Hons. B.Kin, DC
Team Doctor

Dr. Garner was a member of the original Niagara Colts football team in 1997. He played wide receiver and defensive back for 2 seasons with the Colts before moving on to McMaster University, where he played DB for the Marauders. After graduating with a degree in Kinesiology, he went on to complete his 4-year doctorate in Chiropractic.

Dr. Garner has extensive experience in sports injury management & rehabilitation, operating as the Niagara satellite clinic for the highly respected Sports Centres injury clinic of Toronto. He treats X-Men players and gym members at X Fitness in Welland and also owns and operates the Bridgepoint Chiropractic Clinic in Fort Erie, where he lives with his wife Amy and son Madden.

Sebastien Mercure
Offensive Coordinator

Coaching Experience:
2005-06: St. Catharines Collegiate Coaching Staff
2006: Oakville Longhorns Assistant Head Coach
2008-09: Niagara Regional Minor Coaching Staff

Playing Experience:
Position: Quarterback
4 Seasons - High School Football
4 Seasons - OVFL
1 Season - Oakville Longhorns
5 Seasons - Niagara X-Men
5 Seasons - St. Catharines Touch Football Association

Bill McGarrigle
Defensive Coordinator

Coaching Experience:
Thorold Golden Eagles Defensive Coach. Divison Champs.

Playing Experience:
High School: Thorold Golden Eagles: LB/DL, Defensive Captain
Ontario Varsity Football, Halton, DB

College: Niagara College, three seasons , LB/SS( the x-man), defensive point leader in first season playing D-3 american football.
University: York University

Mike Bourdon
Offensive Assistant

Experience:
High School - Notre Dame
  • 5 years quarterback
  • 4 Premier division championships
  • 2003 team captain
College - Niagara College
  • Quarterback of the Niagara College Knights Football team 2003-2004 (Niagara X-Men)
Camps
  • Selected as top quarterback at the "Curry and Powlus (University of Notre Dame) quarterback combine" (Berwick Penn. USA) 2003
  • Selected as top performer for High School football ontario - 2003
  • Participated in "Blue vs White" high school quarterback challenge at Notre Dame University - 2001

Antonio Lepiani
OL / DL & Special Teams Coach

Coaching Experience:
Niagara X-Men Coach: 2006-07, 2008-09 - Offensive and Defensive Line Coach/Special Teams




Playing Experience:
-St. Paul High School: 1997-2002 (2 High School Championships)
-Niagara Knights: 2003-2004 TE and DE (Team Captain)
-Niagara X-Men: 2007-2008 LT and DE
© 2007 X-Men Football