Kelly "Biff" Bowers, a staple in Saskatoon sports, is being remembered as a charismatic lover of sports who never cut corners.

“He’s a fabric of this city, he’s a treasure of Saskatoon,” said Tom Sargeant, head coach of the Saskatoon Hilltops and former faculty member of Bedford Road Collegiate working alongside Bowers.

“He’s a great mentor and I’m going to miss him dearly.”

Bowers died Tuesday afternoon. Between 2007 and 2010, Sarjeant and Bowers led the committee for the Bedford Road Invitational, or BRIT.

Sarjeant said Bowers helped promote the tournament locally, garnering interest from regional teams at a time when local teams were dwindling.

"It was really sudden and I’m still in denial. Kelly did so much for the football community," said Brian Guebert, commissioner for Saskatoon Minor Football.

Bowers spent a decade in the broadcast booth at Griffiths Stadium calling the Huskies football games.

Dan Ukrainetz was the sideline reporter for the broadcast team and he said Bowers had a knack for making the game feel bigger than it was.

“You knew if it was a big play because Kelly would be on there: ‘‘It’s second-and-17, the Huskies need a big play here, they can win the game if they get a shutdown here,’” Ukrainetz said.

Bowers' wide-ranging contributions are outlined in his biography at the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 2011.

Starting in 1974, Bowers coached many levels of football, from peewee to the Saskatoon Hilltops.

Guebert remembers Bowers as being loud, able to recruit volunteers and paid attention to the details.

"He really shaped football culture in Saskatchewan," Guebert said.

"Kelly will never be replaced and his legacy will never be forgotten."

Bowers served as the radio voice of the U of S Huskies and organized the Bedford Road Invitational Tournament.

He was also president of the Kinsmen Football League.

Saskatoon Minor Football said plans are in the works for a memorial event to remember Bowers’ legacy.