The name Brady Dane is synonymous with Westman football. 

The former offensive lineman began his career at age 12 in the Westman Youth Football Association (WYFA) before transitioning to Vincent Massey High School. The year after he graduated – 2010 to be exact – was the first year Westman fielded a team in the Manitoba Major Junior Football League (MMJFL). He’s been a fixture, both as a player and coach ever since. 

But for the last 14 months, Westman and the rest of the MMJFL has been playing the waiting game. The COVID-19 pandemic caused the 2020 season to be cancelled at all levels of amateur football, and the 2021 campaign is also up in the air. With vaccines rolling out though, there’s a higher chance of a season being played this year. 

“I try to stay optimistic with it,” says Dane. 

“Losing the high school season was a big wake up call for how serious this is, knowing how precious each season is to the guys who are playing, because you get so few opportunities, it certainly sunk in the reality of it. There was a little bit of, wow, I’ve got a little more free time, I’m not as busy as I usually am in the fall. For a little while it’s kind of nice. I’ve certainly had weeks where I get into making a playbook, or working on new stuff and going through our list of guys and checking in with people. Then, you have weeks where you’re completely uninterested in It and you don’t even want to look at it. It depends what day you ask me.”

Thankfully, the Wolverines have a stable board which is passionate about the program, and are just as eager to see the MMJFL return.

“We’ve still got a core group that’s been here for a while, and we’re still fairly stable in that. We all do it because I think we like the football part of it at the end of the day,” noted Dane. 

“We like when there’s games being played and participating in that whenever you can. When you’re not getting the payoff, it can definitely ware on people. I’m looking forward to getting it back. I coach with Massey and the Wolverines and I’m heavily involved in our youth football. I’ve haven’t had this much time on my hands since high school.”

2021 forecast 

The ‘Reens didn’t graduate very many players in 2019, but they did lose some critical fourth and fifth-year veterans and will need to make additions at certain spots. Due to his connections at not only Massey, but all three Brandon high schools, Dane is able to maintain consistent communication with potential players. With high school graduation looming, he’s upping his efforts.

“It’s great in Brandon, we’re so tight knit with the Brandon high schools. I’m able to send a text to all of the guys to say hey, you think any of your guys might be interested? Send them my way if they might want to. They’re very cooperative in passing on information for me. We have to keep doing it in the hopes that we might get something. If we don’t, whenever we do come back, I think it’ll be a benefit to have the contacts and know who the guys are around here.”

Dane thinks Westman will have around 20 guys back for 2021, including some key veterans in a powerful backfield and on a hulking offensive line – two identities of Wolverines football. 

Up front, long-time centre Wyatt Wilson is hoping the league will honour the fifth year that he lost due to the pandemic in 2020, while two-way lineman Liam Doherty is also eager to strap the pads on again. Additionally, receiver/running back Dusty Siemens has been messaging Dane often in the group chat he set up for the squad. 

Lead running back Tyler Rowan is perhaps the biggest returnee out of the group though. A former standout at the WHSFL Division 1 level for Vincent Massey and a Player of the Year nominee, he’s started for the Wolverines for numerous seasons. 

“He’s one for sure,” says Dane. “He’s been out helping coach in Brandon here. We got flag football off the ground for a couple of weeks at the start of May before more restrictions came down and we got shut down again, and he was very clearly interested.”

If a full season isn’t permitted, Dane would love to at least see the guys be able to put the pads on again, and perhaps play in an organized scrimmage. 

 “Guys are going to be rusty. Let’s get out there and do the basics, run some plays and set up an inter-squad game even within yourselves if that’s all that we’re allowed. Maybe you play a half of a regular game or you do some scenarios and come up with a scoring system for the defence versus the offence. You can have some fun with it, and we’ve done that in high school before. If we can get away with a couple weeks of practice and then going and doing a more controlled exhibition game with the Rods or the Mustangs, or Eagles, I’d be up for that too.”

Regardless as to what happens this fall, the ‘Reens bench boss will continue to press on. He sees the value the league provides, and remains as passionate about its benefits today as he did when he played. 

“Just speaking, not only as a coach in this league, but as a guy who played in this league, we’re going to be back. It’s such a great league to play in. Football is so precious and you get such a small opportunity of time to play this game, Whatever opportunity I think anyone gets to play this game, I think you want to take advantage of it and we want to take advantage of it and just play this game in whatever way we can. We’re missing it. We’ll deal with whatever restrictions we have to, let’s get out there and start enjoying this game again.”