OFFICIAL – FOOTBALL – INDUCTED IN 2012
Don Cousens was a probationary constable with Halton Regional Police when a staff sergeant strongly suggested he should referee football. Cousens, who had played quarterback at Georgetown District High School, followed his orders.
He joined the Lakeshore Referees’ Association in 1980 and began working minor football and high school games. He worked his way through the ranks, from junior to university football. As Cousens progressed, people took notice. He was assigned to the Ontario university championship game, the Yates Cup.
The following year, 1998, he was invited to Canadian Football League officials’ camp and made a good impression. Cousens made his CFL debut as a downs judge on June 24, 1998 at Ivor Wynne Stadium in a game between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Toronto Argonauts.
Cousens would become a staple on CFL fields over the next 16 seasons, officiating 290 games.
Cousens earned his first of seven Grey Cup assignments in 2002, acting as line judge for the championship game between Edmonton and Montreal and was again part of the crew for the 2003 rematch.
Cousens was named the head linesman for the 2005 Grey Cup and continued in that role for the 2007, 2009 and 2011 championship games, and was an alternate in 2013.
Cousens retired after the 2014 season but continued to work with the CFL. He became a line of scrimmage coach for CFL officials. He also accepted an officials supervisor role, running game-day operations.
He added four more Grey Cups to his credit as the Supervisor of Officiating between 2016 and 2023.
He continued to officiate youth and high school games, working an estimated 1,200 amateur games.
Cousens was the first recipient of the Don Barker Award—named in honour of the Hall of Fame official—for his contributions to the Wounded Warriors Canada program.