Regina teacher Corey Matthews has been active in coaching youth basketball and football. (Facebook)

An award-winning Regina high school teacher, basketball and football coach has been charged with six sex offences involving teenage boys.

Regina police said Wednesday they have charged Corey Randall Matthews, 32, with one count of invitation to sexual touching, three counts of procuring and two counts of sexual exploitation.

The incidents are alleged to have taken place between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2008.

In a news release, Regina police said they have been investigating Matthews since December 2008, following an allegation by a 14-year-old boy.

Police said they didn't have enough evidence then to proceed with a charge, but that changed earlier this year when a second teenage boy made similar allegations to police claiming they occurred when he was 16.

Later, a third teen came forward with allegations saying he too was 16 when the offences occurred.

Matthews was arrested Tuesday and appeared before a justice of the peace. He was released with an undertaking to appear in provincial court on May 3.

Matthews taught and coached at Winston Knoll Collegiate and Scott Collegiate in the public school system.

Regina public school board spokesman Terry Lazarou had little to say about Matthews's employment status, but confirmed that currently he isn't teaching.

"He's not in a classroom and doesn't have contact with students at a Regina public school. That's about the extent of all I can say," Lazarou said.

Police didn't provide any details about how Matthews may have known the three boys.

"This is an individual who would have had access to young people and that's part of the allegation and it forms part of the charges against him," Regina police spokewoman Elizabeth Popowich said.

On his Facebook page, Matthews says he was a torchbearer for the Vancouver Olympics and has won several awards for volunteer activities, including the 2006 Regina Crime Prevention award.