‘Super proud’: Sturgeon Heights Collegiate honour alumni that made it to the CFL

A high school, in Winnipeg has created a new wall to honour former students who went on to play in the CFL.

CFL players and officials who were graduates from Sturgeon Heights Collegiate got the call to the wall Tuesday.

The school unveiled its CFL Wall of Fame, showcasing and celebrating the alumni of Sturgeon Heights that went on to be part of the CFL.

Deborah Einarson Woods, the physical education teacher at Sturgeon Heights, said the school has so many alumni to showcase, and they wanted to inspire current students that they too can make it.

“We are a high school football school, and this is a huge addition to our school because it’s representing the CFL and we’re promoting football at the grassroots level,” said Einarson Woods. “We’ve got students that walk by and hope someday their jersey will hang in the halls of Sturgeon Heights Collegiate as well.”

Each former student has their jersey framed on the wall with their picture underneath.

Seven alumni were unveiled Tuesday, with the graduates ranging from 1991 to 2012.

The wall includes Wade Miller, the current president and CEO of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Ritchie Miller, Matt Sheridan, Kienan Lafrance, Anthony Coombs and Justin and Jordan Herdman-Reed.

“I am super, super proud of all of them, that we could all be together for this,” said Einarson Woods. “We have additional room for future Huskies that go on to the CFL, and hopefully we can hang more jerseys on the wall.”

She said another player will be added to the wall around this time next year, as Gavin Coakes, an offensive lineman for the Toronto Argonauts, is set to embark on his first season in the CFL.

He was taken in the fourth round of the 2025 CFL Draft.