Westman Wolverines head coach Brady Dane said that the importance of Virden’s Nathan Price to his football team could not be overstated.
In his second year with the Manitoba Major Junior Football League squad, the son of Rod and Kerrie Price earned league all-star honours. The 6-foot-5, 325-pound left tackle was a crucial part of the Wolverines’ offence. He was counted on to keep opposing linemen at bay to protect his quarterback or steamroll them to clear space for the Wolverines’ running game.
“With his size and strength, he's a dominant force on the field, and whoever is unlucky enough to line up across from him on defence is usually in for a long day of picking themselves up off the ground,” Dane said.
This past fall, Price helped the Wolverines to a 4-4 record. The squad made the playoffs for the first time since 2013 – when Dane was still in uniform. In Price’s rookie year, the squad was winless.
“It was a great season,” Price said of 2017. “It was great to start having success when we played. I think it really gave the team a boost knowing that we have improved a lot from a year ago.”
At Virden Collegiate Institute, Price was named the Rural Manitoba Football League’s Most Outstanding Lineman – Offence. The former RMFL South All-Star enjoys the challenges that come with playing in the gridiron trenches.
“I think the thing that I enjoy most about playing on the offensive line is that you have a lot of people depend on you to make a block so that a play can happen and also just the battle happens between the you and the defensive lineman every play,” Price said.
Price, who is working this winter, appreciates the backing of his family.
“It’s great having the support I do from my parents,” he said. “They always make the trips to come watch me play and they do as much as they can to support me so that I can keep playing the sport.”
The MMJFL is a five-team league based in the Winnipeg area. The league is for players ages 18 to 22. It supplies young men a place to keep playing football after high school while still allowing them to work and go to school. The Brandon-based Wolverines have long had a strong contingent of Virden area players. As well as Price, this year’s team included Dustin Siemens, Wyatt Wilson, and Tre Panachyse.
