St. Andrews’ McPherson honoured for decades of football leadership

It was a night to remember for St. Andrews’ Don McPherson, who was celebrated last week for nearly two decades of work dedicated to growing youth football in Manitoba.

McPherson, 67, was inducted into the Football Manitoba Hall of Fame on Sept. 25 in Winnipeg. He entered the Hall in the Builder category for his leadership with the North Winnipeg Nomads, the Daniel McIntyre Collegiate Institute Maroons, and the Valour Community Centre Patriots between 1996 and 2012. He was one of eight individuals and one team honoured during the ceremony at the Pinnacle Club at Princess Auto Stadium.

Surrounded by family and former players, McPherson said the recognition was meaningful, but also humbling.

“Every year I’m sure there’s hundreds and maybe in the thousands of people volunteering to keep the sport of football running in Manitoba, so to get singled out, it was a big honour and I think all of us appreciated it,” he said. “Because I’d been out of the sport for a few years it gave me an opportunity to connect with a number of people that I hadn’t seen in several years and catch up. The night was nice. It was very well run by Football Manitoba, they did a great job. Very nice venue.”

While McPherson spent time at multiple levels, he said some of his proudest work came later in his career.

In 2006, he helped revive the Maroons program at Daniel McIntyre Collegiate, which had gone eight seasons without a football team and had to rebuild almost entirely from scratch. The first few years were difficult, with inexperienced players and no immediate wins on the field.

But out of that challenge came a solution that reshaped youth football opportunities in Winnipeg’s West End. In partnership with alumni in 2009, McPherson helped launch the Valour Community Centre Patriots — a feeder program that allowed young athletes to gain experience before joining the Maroons. Registrations were kept intentionally low to remove barriers for families, and interest soared. In the Patriots’ inaugural season, 65 players joined across three age divisions.

The long-term payoff was even greater. The Patriots filled a crucial gap in the minor football landscape and produced future Maroons players. In 2019 — seven years after McPherson’s departure — the Patriots captured the Manitoba Minor Football Association Peewee Championship.

McPherson’s influence on the sport began earlier with the North Winnipeg Nomads, where he started coaching in the mid-1990s after his son Dan joined the program at age nine. Over time, he moved into executive roles and eventually became club president.

At the time, the Nomads were struggling with worn uniforms, outdated equipment and limited resources. McPherson and the board worked to secure grants, expand the player base — including recruiting athletes from the Interlake — and invest back into facilities and gear. Registration numbers grew from 180 in 2001 to 330 by 2005, reflecting a revitalized and growing club culture.

“When my son started playing, our uniforms and equipment were aged, in many cases in poor condition, and needed upgrading,” McPherson said. “We basically bought all new uniforms, replaced a ton of older equipment, and bought additional equipment and uniforms to support the new kids. Once we started looking at field improvements and we were applying for different grants, it was imperative that we increased our numbers because that would show these groups it was a growing club and there was a demand in the area.”

The Nomads remain a pillar of the Manitoba Minor Football Association today, fielding teams and supporting young athletes from Winnipeg and beyond — including the Interlake communities McPherson once worked to include.

For McPherson, that legacy — more than the plaque and the ceremony — is what truly matters.

“It’s just nice to look back and know the programs are still there,” he said.