Winnipeg Junior Football's Roots
The History of Junior football in Manitoba extends all the way back to the early part of the twentieth century, with its beginnings in the 1920's. Up until 1953 four teams operated as a part of what was called the; "Manitoba Junior Football League." The four teams included the; Winnipeg Rods, Weston Wildcats, St. John's Grads and the Winnipeg Light Infantry. (Of note: The Winnipeg Light Infantry many years later was to be absorbed by the Royal Winnipeg Rifles Regiment).
In 1953, Manitoba along with our neighbours in Saskatchewan, formed the Man.-Sask. League, made up of two teams from Winnipeg; the Weston Wildcats, later named the Winnipeg Hawkeyes, and the Winnipeg Rods, later named the St. James Rods then again the Winnipeg Rods. Saskatchewan was represented by the Regina Rams and the Saskatoon Hilltops. During the early years of that league the Winnipeg Rods dominated Junior football in Canada, appearing in the Canadian Junior Football Championship in 1954, 55, 56, 57 and 1961. Under the leadership of Head Coach George Depres Sr., the Rods won the Canadian Championship in 1955, 56 and 1961.
Another dramatic shift took place during the 70's with a resurgence of interest in football here in Manitoba. What resulted was a decision to again form the Manitoba Junior Football League in 1976. The league was made up of; the St.Vital Mustangs, Fort Garry Lions, Winnipeg Hawkeyes, Winnipeg Rods and eventually the Thunder Bay Giants. For their part, the Saskatchewan teams joined with teams from Alberta to form the Prairie Junior Football Conference, the precursor to, today's Prairie Football Conference. The Manitoba league operated until 1994 and reached its peak in 1987 when the St. Vital Mustangs reached the Canadian Junior Football final in Regina. Following the leagues demise, only one Junior team remained in Manitoba, the Winnipeg Hawkeyes, who joined the Prairie Football Conference under very difficult financial constraints and were able to continue operation for two more years, shutting down in 1996.
For the next two years all was quiet on the Junior football front in Manitoba. Then in 1999 a group of four like minded individuals headed by Jim Ladd and George Depres Jr. (son of George Depres Sr.) felt that our province with its proud heritage of Junior football, should again have a presence in the Canadian Junior Football League. A significant drive got underway to create an entirely new franchise and with the addition of a number of other interested and dedicated individuals, principle among them Gord Cooke, who had a long history of involvement in Junior football, the Winnipeg Rifles Junior Football Club was born and began competition in the Prairie Football Conference in 2002. The name Winnipeg Rifles was chosen to honour the men and women who served for the Royal Winnipeg Rifles Regiment established in 1883.
In joining the Prairie Football Conference, the Winnipeg Rifles joined with the Regina Prairie Thunder, Calgary Colts, Saskatoon Hilltops, Edmonton Huskies and Edmonton Wildcats.