A soccer homecoming will take place tonight in Winkler when the Winkler Storm host the Hanover Kickers in Manitoba Major Soccer League action. The game has a rich history in this area which has seen competitive soccer dating back 35 years. Prior to tonights game (7p.m.) a brief ceremony will take place to honor and pay tribute to those who were instrumental to growing the game in the Pembina Valley. 

 

The first men’s soccer team to play out of Winkler was the summer games team of 1976.  Verne Reimer was the organizer and energizer.  This team went on to represent our region in Neepawa at the very first Manitoba Summer Games.

 

 

The positive experience at the summer games led Reimer, George Klassen and Gerry Dyck to organize the Winkler Blitz.  Players for the Blitz were primarily graduated GVCI players and a few missionary kids who had grown up in Brazil, but the Blitz began to attract players and coaches from neighboring communities as well.  The Winkler Blitz was the first team from this region to enter a Winnipeg based league (now the Manitoba Major Soccer League), and to represent our community in the provincials every year.  Clearly, this was the club that set the stage for the teams that followed. 

 

Listen to CKMW Sports Director Matt's Friesen interview with Remier

 

In 1988, Dave Parks of Morden organized another Manitoba Games team.  The games that year were played in Lac du Bonnet and Pinawa.  This team brought together many of the players who would become the builders and managers of many of the subsequent teams:  Guido Faralli, Graham Corlett  and Celso Arevalo. 

 

Shortly after the summer games, Faralli took the leadership in the formation of the Southern Manitoba Soccer League.  Over the years, the SMSL had teams in Morden, Carman, Rosenort, Morris, Winkler, Portage and Transcona. 

 

The Morden Dynamo were the founding team and frequent champions of the SMSL. 

 

 

The Winkler Storm also made it’s start in the SMSL.  Don Bergen spent countless hours on the phone organizing, and many hours managing the team.  It was Don who approached Henry Enns to coach the team.  The Winkler Storm, in it’s 2nd season, had teams in both the SMSL and the MMSL.  In the following year, the Storm focused only on the MMSL, climbing to the 1st division, and, for four years, to the premier division. 

 

A highlight during Henry Enns’s term as coach was when the Storm won both the league title and the playoffs.  Enns committed much of his time and resources to build the team, and is remembered for his inspirational pre-game talks.

 

In the late ‘90s through 2002, it was apparent that there was a need for more opportunities for local players.  Celso Arevalo organized and coached the South Central Hurricane as a men’s team during this time.  The Hurricane also played successfully as it moved up to the 2nd division.  Celso is a man with remarkable energy, marked by the first southern MB samba dance after scoring, to organizing and coaching minor soccer, high school, a youth team, the Storm, and the Hurricane. 

 

Celso has also served as a referee for many of the programs in this area.  Celso has been a soccer builder, coach, referee and board member, and has served our region in this way for over 20 years without a break.

 

Listen to CKMW Matt Friesen's interview with Arevalo.