William Morton Collegiate graduating athlete Ethan Winters is this year's male recipient of the Alexander Josephson Memorial Scholarship of $2000. The Manitoba High School Athletics Association awards this scholarship to two student-athletes who demonstrate strong leadership and team play, high scholastic standing, a hard-working attitude.

Winters says he found out that he was one of the two winners of this scholarship the day before his birthday adding it was a great present. He talks about how enjoyable his one and only season of high school hockey was.

"It was amazing, I couldn't have asked for anything better," says Winters. "The way they treated the players, it felt like you were in the NHL every single game. The coaching was great and actually we did get coached by an NHL at one point throughout the season. We got the opportunity to go see Paul Maurice(Winnipeg Jets head coach), he coached us for a practice and gave us some tips."

Winters says their practice with coach Maurice really helped a lot of the players on their roster and made the Sandy Bay Badgers a force to be reckoned with. He describes what Maurice said that stuck with him.

"'You can work hard on the ice but it's what you do off the ice that counts' that said a lot to me because it's true," says Winters. "If you're not in shape and you go out to play hockey, you're not going to be the best hockey player you can be. You have to be in decent shape, you have to know what you're doing, and you have to know the plays."

Winters totaled 10 goals, 18 assists, for 28 points in 23 regular-season games, helping guide the Sandy Bay Badgers to a 19-4 record.

Winters says he will be using the money from this scholarship for a program at Assiniboine Community College in Brandon to become a heavy-duty equipment technician.

Winters is extremely thankful that he got to play his favourite sport in his final year of high school and notes he will continue his hockey career with the Gladstone Lakers in the Tiger Hills Hockey League.