defensive back
In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...
who played in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1959 to 1965.
A native of Winnipeg, Janzen joined his hometown Blue Bombers in 1959 and, with a league-leading 499 punt return yards, was winner of the
Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy The Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy is a Canadian Football League award, given to the most outstanding Canadian player in the West Division. Each team nominates a player for this award, from which the winner is chosen. Either the winner of this trophy ...
for Canadian rookie of the year in the west. He would go on to play 7 seasons, intercepting 14 passes and winning an All-Star berth as a defensive back in 1965 (with 7 interceptions). As a dependable Canadian back-up and kick returner, he was an important part of three
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup (french: Coupe Grey) is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested be ...
championships.
Janzen later became coach of the University of Manitoba football team, leading the Bisons to back-to-back national championships in 1969 and 70, the first time this was ever accomplished.
Glenlawn Collegiate
Glenlawn Collegiate is a public English-language secondary school in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, located at 770 St. Mary's Road, Elm Park in the suburb of St. Vital. It is part of the Louis Riel School Division.Weston Wildcats.
punt returner
A return specialist or kick returner is a player on the special teams unit of a gridiron football team who specializes in returning punts and kickoffs. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most also play another position ...
that year, and with 499 return yards in 16 games, was awarded the
Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy The Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy is a Canadian Football League award, given to the most outstanding Canadian player in the West Division. Each team nominates a player for this award, from which the winner is chosen. Either the winner of this trophy ...
47th Grey Cup
The 47th Grey Cup was the Canadian Football League's (CFL) championship game of the 1959 season on November 28, 1959.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 21–7 at Toronto's CNE Stadium before a crowd of 33,133. It was the ...
game, where they won 21–7 over the
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a professional Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Tim Hortons Fiel ...
.
In , Janzen played in 12 games and helped the Blue Bombers compile a league-best 14–2 record. He continued as starting punt returner, and made 52 returns for 274 yards, a 5.3 average per-return. He also saw time on offense, and recorded 12 rush attempts for 79 yards and six receptions for 82 yards, scoring one touchdown.
Janzen helped the Blue Bombers advance to another
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup (french: Coupe Grey) is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested be ...
in , where they won 21–14 over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in overtime. He led the team in punt return yardage that year, gaining 394 yards on 54 attempts, for an average of 7.3 yards. He caught two passes on offense for 37 yards and also gained 13 yards rushing in the season.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers made it to a second consecutive Grey Cup championship in , and won it 28–27 over the Tiger-Cats. Janzen appeared in all 16 games that season and scored three touchdowns, a career-high. On defense, he made his first four interceptions, returning them for 73 yards, including one for a touchdown.
Janzen ended up playing three more seasons for the Blue Bombers, retiring in 1966 to accept a position at the University of Manitoba. In his final season, , he intercepted seven passes and was named an all-star. He finished his CFL career with 103 games played, 28 rushes for 153 yards, 19 receptions for 294 yards, 15 interceptions, 282 punt returns for 1755 yards and six total touchdowns. He was a part of three Grey Cup championships with Winnipeg.
University of Manitoba
Janzen later became the head coach for the
Manitoba Bisons football
The Manitoba Bisons football team represents the University of Manitoba in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. The program was the first of four U Sports football teams to have won back-to-back Vanier Cup championships, having won in 1969 ...
team, and led them to back-to-back Vanier Cup championships in 1969 and 1970, which was the first time a team had won two straight Canadian university championships.
Janzen later earned his doctorate and became the Dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management at the University of Manitoba. He was an instrumental figure in the establishment of the Health, Leisure and Human Performance Research Institute and helped establish the School of Physical Education as a Faculty.
Later career
Janzen chaired and was a founding board member of the Manitoba Institute of Trade and Technology, and was the chair of the National Advisory Council Fitness and Amateur Sport for ten years. He also gave service to United Way, the Provincial Council on Youth Crime,
St. Boniface Hospital
Saint Boniface Hospital (french: Hôpital Saint-Boniface; also called St. B; previously called the Saint-Boniface General Hospital) is Manitoba's second-largest hospital, located in the Saint Boniface neighbourhood of Winnipeg. Founded by the Si ...
Janzen received numerous honors and accolades, among these the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, induction to the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, honorary citizen of Winnipeg, Order of the Buffalo Hunt-Achievement Award, Builder Award for Outstanding Dedication and Promotion of Physical Education for the Youth of Manitoba, honorary membership in the Manitoba Teacher's Society, and induction to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Hall of Fame. Henry Janzen Elementary School in Regina, Saskatchewan is named in his honour.
Death
Janzen died on July 20, 2022, in Winnipeg, at the age of 82.