Garry Stroppa Memorial Bursary

Provided by the Midget Football League of Manitoba

Amount: $500
Deadline to apply: August 22, 2013

Criteria:

This bursary of $500 will be awarded to a 2012 graduate of the Midget Football League of Manitoba based on a combination of academic merit, volunteer activities, and passion for the game of football.

Eligibility:

Year of Study: Entering 1st year (2013-14)
Field of Study: Any
Course Load: Full-time or Part-time
Academic Standing: Minimum 75% (Grade 12)

Submit to:

Football Manitoba
Attn: John Makie
145 Pacific Avenue
Winnipeg, MB  R3B 2Z6

Click here for a printable copy of the 2013 Bursary guidelines.

Deadline: Thursday, August 22, 2013

The bursary recipient will be announced in September, and the cheque will be formally presented at the Midget Football League of Manitoba's post-season awards banquet held in November.

Rifles Receiver Shooting For The Top

Unheralded Carter wowing coaches
Winnipeg Free Press || June 9, 2013
By Paul Wiecek

Brett Carter has been taking fullest advantage during his first professional training camp of a rash of injuries that have decimated the Bombers receiving corps and is poised right now to become the Bombers' feel-good story this month.

The 20-year-old University of Winnipeg business administration student was brought to camp as an unsigned junior.  But while the injured receivers ahead of him on the depth chart have watched from the sidelines the last few days, Carter has shown excellent hands and an ability to get open.

Tim Burke says Carter's play has had tongues wagging in the coaches' offices.

"He's doing a really good job," Burke said.  "He's got a chance... I'm not going to say definitely (he's going to make the team), but he's got a chance."

Whatever happens, Carter's thrilled just to have a chance.

"There's obviously dreams of playing for your hometown team, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. For sure," says Carter. "Just being on the field with these guys, it's a dream."

The general consensus is Carter has looked at home during the first week of training camp and he says that's all he was hoping to do.

"I didn't want to look out of place. I wanted to get into the playbook right from the start and just not lack anything and just come here and try to be one of the guys."

Winnipeg Rifle Brett Carter Shooting High With Blue Bombers

Winnipeg Sun || June 8, 2013
By Kirk Penton

Somebody forgot to tell Brett Carter he was supposed to come to Bombers training camp, learn a few things and then go back to the Winnipeg Rifles.

If the young receiver isn’t careful, he’s going to end up making the Blue and Gold, either on the active or practice roster.

Head coach Tim Burke calls it like he sees it, and on Saturday morning he threw out there that Carter is “fourth or fifth” on the non-import receiver depth chart. If he’s fourth, that means he’ll end up on the 42-man roster. Even if he’s fifth, he’s still not going anywhere because the Bombers have two starting non-import receivers and need the depth.

The 20-year-old was one of the best players on the field Saturday morning, catching everything that was thrown his way.

“We were just talking about him,” Burke said. “He made a great catch (Friday) in the end zone.  He’s not a bad player.”

Carter, who was interviewed before Burke made the interesting disclosure, said he’s having a blast running routes for his hometown team.

“Being a local guy and playing here?  It’s great.  It’s great playing on this team,” he said. “When I was young, just watching the Bombers play and having season tickets and coming to every game on Friday, it was great. It’s good to be a local guy here.

“The first couple times when I actually got the call and I was like oh man, hey, I might be playing with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, it’s amazing.”

Carter, a former member of the St. Vital Mustangs midget team, led the Prairie Football Conference with 48 catches for 782 yards last season, and he finished second in the loop with six touchdowns.

CFL teams often invite junior players to training camp, but it’s usually just for their development. They rarely play in any pre-season games, but Carter is bucking that trend and could now end up on Winnipeg’s active or practice roster.

The North Winnipeg Nomads accomplished quite a feat last year, running the table en route to a 10-0 record and the Manitoba Midget Football championship.  One glance around the teams winter camp held at St. John's High School on April 2nd, however, will tell you that the Nomads and Head Coach Max Hyde are doing anything but resting on their laurels.

And with good reason.  As is the nature of all youth sports, Hyde and his coaching staff are dealing with a massive amount of turnover from their perfect season, which was capped off by a 42-21 victory over the Eastman Raiders in the 2012 PlayAll Awards Midget Championship.  The Nomads are dealing with the loss of 17 seniors from last years team, including Offensive Player of the Game from that championship Zach Saraillon.

While losing close to a third of their roster clearly presents some difficulty, as General Manager Collin Morris says "There's a direct correlation between the number of seniors on your team and your success", The Nomads clearly aren't ones to sit around feeling sorry for themselves.  They began their winter camp fairly early this year, with Coach Hyde and his staff starting to run drills during the first week of March.  When asked about the early start to camp, coach Hyde smiled and said "No time to waste... We've got games in June."

Practicing twice a week for the month before our visit had clearly paid its dividends.  The camp was well organized, with the team breaking up into three smaller groups to focus on specialized skills based on their role on the team.  All of the players seemed focused, and listened intently to their coaches instructions.

Still, no matter how disciplined the players might seem in early April, leaders need to emerge on a team hoping to be successful well into October.  While The Nomads may have lost a veteran presence in those 17 departing players, this year's squad should see about 14 players in their third year of Midget Football.  Most notable of that group is returning Quarterback Julian Wytnick, who led the league by throwing for just shy of 2,000 yards in 10 games last year.  Wytnick, listed at 6'3, 210 lbs, stood tall in more than just stature during the Offensive drills, appearing to lead his group throughout the camp.  When asked to point out impact players to watch for in the upcoming year, coaches were quick to refer to Wytnick, calling him simply "Julian".

Clearly, having an experienced pivot under center is invaluable for any football team, but it will take more than that if the Nomads wish to approach last years' success.   The Nomads have won the league title two of the past three years since Hyde (whose championship rings were proudly displayed on his fingers) took over as Head Coach.  He points towards the clubs approach to recruiting as being key to their success.  Specifically, the relationship The Nomads have been able to build with the town of Selkirk.  Coach Hyde has specifically made an effort to recruit young players from that town, and it's paid dividends for the club.  Six players from last years squad came from Selkirk, and Hyde figures to have between six and eight on this years version of The Nomads.

Max Hyde talked repeatedly of an ever evolving "template" that he follows in his coaching philosophy.  This template has clearly proven successful in the past three years he's been at the helm of The Nomads.  While past success certainly doesn't guarantee anything in the future, the combination of younger players stepping into leadership roles, an aggressive recruitment strategy, and well run and coached practices should allow The North Winnipeg Nomads to compete at the highest level of The Midget Football League of Manitoba once again in 2013.

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Rifles Wideout Carter Gets Training Camp Invite From Bombers

By Scott Billeck for The Huddle Magazine

Winnipeg Rifles receiver Brett Carter will have a chance to impress the Winnipeg Blue Bombers brass at the team’s training camp in June.

Carter, the Midget Football League of Manitoba's Special Teams Player of the Year in 2009 with the St. Vital Mustangs and Midget Bowl II Offensive MVP, had an outstanding year with the Rifles in 2012, posting a CJFL-leading 48 receptions for 782 yards to go along with six touchdowns. He was MVP for the Rifles and was not only named a Prairie Football Conference All-Star but CJFL All-Canadian, as well.

“I started meeting with the Rifles coaches, starting talking about their personnel,” says Kyle Walters, Assistant General Manager and Director of Canadian Scouting for the Bombers. “The kid they spoke most highly of and the one they thought would compete the best in training camp was Brett.

“What separates him, I think, is that physically he competes. He is a strong kid, he runs well, has good hands, but most importantly he is a physically strong kid and looks very mature for his age.”

The 6-foot, 200-pound receiver says he’s honored to get the invite to participate in the Bombers training camp.

“It’s great,” said Carter. “It just shows that all the hard work I’ve put into the game that I love and I have dreamt of playing professionally is actually paying off. Getting the call and being recognized by a professional team is just amazing.”

Making the team would be a dream come true for the 20-year-old, but he admits that just being on the field will be an experience of a lifetime.

“Obviously making the team would be great,” says an excited Carter.  “But just going in there for the experience and talking to players and learning a lot of stuff, sitting back and watching them be professional.  Learning how they attack the day-to-day as a professional athlete and seeing how they prepare for game days.”

“We’re excited that a member of our family is getting a great opportunity to compete at the CFL level and fulfill a hometown dream,” said Rifles head coach Ryan Karhut. “His character, his dedication to the game, he is obviously a talented individual. His leadership and his work ethic as well I think really impressed them (the Blue Bombers) and made them realize that they had to have Brett in camp.”

Winnipeg Blue Bombers training camp opens for the 2013 season on Sunday, June 2, at Investors Group Field.