Richard Todd, the former National Academy football director, is recovering in hospital after suffering a heart attack last week.

The former North Village and St George’s coach, who has undergone an operation, wrote on Facebook that he hopes “this incident would help raise the health awareness of others”.

Todd, a 45-year-old father of two, added: “Understand your family’s medical history — genetics plays a significant role ... Feeling grateful and cherish each day more!”

Todd was voted in as the new president of the Bermuda Football Coaches Association this month. Dennis Brown, who works alongside him in the Robin Hood youth programme, said he wishes his friend a speedy recovery.

“Richard has a lot to offer; it’s definitely shocking to me,” said Brown, a former Somerset Trojans and Devonshire Cougars coach. “He has a huge passion for this game, for the improvement of the game, not just for players but coaches as well. Right now his health is the main priority.”

Although there is nothing to suggest Todd’s heart attack was football-related, Brown said it should serve as a warning to all coaches on the island.

“People like Richard give up a lot of their life to sports and it becomes a big sacrifice for their families,” added Brown, who was voted in as an executive member of the BFCA last month.

“This frightened me because this could happen to anybody. Richard has a high workrate, goes into things 100 per cent as a schoolteacher [at Saltus Grammar School] and coach. Not so long ago we had Scott Morton taken ill, and he was also in that position [as the former BFCA president].

Maceo Dill, the new BFCA vice-president, said he hopes to see Todd return to the dugout in the near future.

“My first wish is for him to make a full recovery, as we want to see him back in the saddle,” said Dill, who attended Alabama A&M University with Todd. “He had a successful operation to remove the blockage and is resting comfortably and recovering. He’s in high spirits about what needs to be done.”

Dill said the BFCA will now look to educate its members of the stresses that potentially come with being coaches.

“Football coaching is a highly stressful job and we need to be more informed about the health issues it can create,” Dill added.

“It’s something that has happened overseas with a lot of the top coaches having heart procedures because of the demands and stress that come with this lifestyle.”