Former guests

Grey Cup Champion, Willard Reaves played from 1983 to 1989 during his career with the Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Reaves ran for 5,922 yards in his career on 1,111 attempts, scoring 44 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 113 passes for 1,202 yards and 9 receiving touchdowns. Was selected as a CFL All-Star 5 times while winning the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 1984.

Willard Reaves has taken his rightful place in the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. Born in Flagstaff, Ariz., Reaves became a multi-sport star in high school and at Northern Arizona University, where he became the first non-senior to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a single season.

In 1979 and 1980, he was named a first team All American (second team in 1981). Two years later, he took the Canadian Football League by storm.

In 1983, he won the Jackie Parker Trophy as the CFL’s Western Rookie of the Year and was the leading rusher in the West Division. The next season, his league-wide dominance was rewarded with the Schenley Award as most outstanding player in the CFL. He was named offensive star of the year, named to the league’s first all-star team and he helped lead the Bombers to their first Grey Cup title since 1962. The all-star selections would continue into the late 1980’s. He set records for most games with 100 yards rushing in one season (10) and most consecutive games hitting the century mark in a game (8).

In 1984, he ran for 1,733 yards in the 16-game season on 304 carries, a club record. He tied a CFL record with four touchdowns in one game and tied another club mark with 18 TDs in a campaign. His 221 yards rushed in one game, 44 TDs in his career and club record 1,158 carries in his tenure in a Blue Bomber uniform are still on the team’s record books. To date, Reaves still leads the Bombers in most 200-yard rushing games (2), most seasons leading the league in rushing yards (3) and most 100-yard rushing games in a career (26). In 1990, two years after leaving the Bombers with 5,923 rushing yards in five seasons for a shot in the NFL, Reaves became a Canadian citizen and retired from pro ball. He was inducted into Northern Arizona’s Hall of Fame in 1992 and is a member of the Winnipeg Football Hall of Fame.

After his career in professional sports came to an end, he started his own small business – an investigation company that employed over twenty people. He has also served the Manitoba Department of Justice for 21 years. One of his priorities is caring for and serving his community in places like the drop-in center for at-risk youth. Willard and his wife also are proud parents to Ryan Reaves, who is a professional ice hockey right wing for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League. Willard’s youngest son, Jordan Reaves, who is a professional football player with the Edmonton Elks of the CFL and his two wonderful daughters, Regina and Renee. A man with a ‘heart’ for people.