Herbert “Paddy” Coultas – Athlete/Builder

Inducted April 24, 1976

In the early years of the present century it was every young boy’s ambition to become a member of one of the four semi-military brigades sponsored by each of the four leading religious denominations in St. John’s. A youth of Herb Coultas’ persuasion, as was inevitable, enlisted in the Methodist Guards. Thus began an eminently satisfactory association destined to span nearly three quarters of a century. Under the aegis of the Guards, young Coultas became involved in athletics. It was an all-consuming interest which has remained with him through life. He recorded his first athletic success in winning the Junior 75 yard dash in the winter indoor sports held in 1905. He never turned back but went on to greater things. In time and in turn we find him being absorbed into the team system representing the Guards in cricket, football, and rowing. He developed into a remarkably fine footballer and was a member of the championship Collegian teams of 1914 and 1915. His hockey career which began in 1912 gave further evidence of superb athletic talent. He was a member of the Crescents team which captured the historic Boyle trophy in 1912. In 1917 he switched allegiance from the Crescents to the Victorias and contributed significantly to the latter organization’s success in winning the championship that year. In 1923, when the Guards AA was founded, Herb joined that club. The Guards, in their initial season in the Hockey League, captured both the Boyle Challenge Cup and the Tobin Tie-cup. The years 1923 and 1924 were to prove very significant years in the playing career of Herb Coultas. He brought greater lustre to the Guards by captaining their victorious football teams in both years. Herb Coultas was indeed an athlete of exceptional talent and not surprisingly the knowledge and experience gained on the field of contest – and the ice surface – equipped him to function flawlessly as a referee at both Football and Hockey. He gave freely of his time and his energies in the role of arbiter at both Inter-collegiate and Senior League games. His greatest sense of satisfaction in his demanding role as referee was the knowledge that he was contributing something to the game. Small indeed, by his own standards, but in the eyes of both players and fans alike, that service to sport in a demanding and often little appreciated role, marks him as a person apart. Local sport has never known a more impartial arbiter, and certainly never a finer gentleman.

Postscript

In the early 1960’s, Herb was made an honourary life member of the Guards Athletic Association. Herb was inducted into the Newfoundland Soccer Hall of Fame in 1983 and the St. John’s Soccer Hall of Fame in 1984.