Will Miner has loved sports since he was just a young kid.
Growing up in Dauphin playing every sport he could, Miner decided to try out rugby about seven years ago and he has become an all-star on the field and just last year, during his grade 11 year at the DRCSS, Miner was talked into playing football and he was sure glad he did.
So Will joined the Clippers football team and while the team came up short of winning a championship in the Rural Manitoba Football League, Miner loved every second of being on the gridiron and representing Dauphin's lone high school team.
"I loved playing with the Clippers, it's all about family, it's one big family on the field," said Miner. "I'm so happy that I played with the team, it was an incredible two years. It was a real honour and I will never forget about my time with the team."
While Will's time as a Clipper has come to an end as he is set to graduate in just a few months, he recently had the opportunity of a lifetime on the field and it was one that so many football players wish they could also have.
Alongside three of his Clipper teammates, Miner made his way to Minneapolis just before 2024 began with the Manitoba Selects team and they were joined by other players from across the United States for a camp. The camp which was made up of mostly American players was played in front of scouts from American colleges and universities.
Will was given the chance after an incredible season with the Clippers in which he lit it up offensively.
"It was really cool and very nerve-racking at the same time," offered Miner. "Football is quite a bit different down there compared to here, so it was a whole new experience and it was one that I will never forget."
Will was joined by Sully Fox, Lars Gudbjartson, and Owen Tyschinski, all of whom call Dauphin their home and are also coming off all-star seasons with the Clippers.
"It was exactly how I wanted it to be, I couldn't have asked for a better experience and I was so happy to be with them," said Miner. "I thought they all performed very well and while I didn't think I performed as well as I could, it was a great time."
About as humble as you can be, Miner certainly impressed on the field, and on the last day of the camp, everyone involved took part in a game at US Bank Stadium, which is home of the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League.
"It's a lot bigger in person than it is on TV," offered Miner. "It was cool, it's hard even to put into words how cool of an experience it was."
For those that are unaware, US Bank Stadium has a capacity of 66,860 for NFL games and it can be expanded to 73,000 for the Super Bowl and other special events.
Now back in Dauphin and riding high after a once-in-a-lifetime chance, Miner has turned his focus to helping the Clippers hockey team succeed. They're off to Winnipeg this weekend for the Piper Classic and this is Will's fourth season with the team. He was an affiliate player in grade 9 during a season that was cancelled because of the pandemic.
"It's a good feeling to be a Clipper on the ice, I'm playing with guys that I grew up playing with so that's nice," said Miner.
Playing in the Westman High School Hockey League, it's been another great season for Dauphin as they have won 15 of their 19 games, and with no league games scheduled on Thursday, Dauphin will enter the weekend in first place, two points up on Vincent Massey and six up on the Chancellors.
"I didn't think that we would be this good at the start of the season," said Miner. "We've turned out to be a great team. I believe we have a real shot at winning the league this year, so we're focused on taking it the whole way."
The next chance for you to see Will and the rest of the Clippers in action at Credit Union Place is on January 20 when they welcome the REMH Renegades to town at 3:30. That starts a stretch that will see Dauphin play three of four games on home ice. You can see the team's entire schedule here.
