The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League and the MindRight for Athletes Society are pleased to announce that Kamloops Storm forward Nolan MacPherson has been named the recipient of the Remembering Grant Sheridan Scholarship.
Each year, the MindRight for Athletes Society awards the $1,500 scholarship, named in memory of the longtime Kelowna Chiefs owner and general manager, to one exceptional KIJHL student-athlete. MacPherson will receive an additional $1,500 thanks to the generosity of the Sheridan Family.
“I would like to congratulate Nolan MacPherson on being selected as the recipient of the 2025–26 Grant Sheridan Memorial Scholarship,” says Myles Mattila, founder of the MindRight for Athletes Society. “During his time with the Kamloops Storm, Nolan has distinguished himself through his leadership, community involvement, and commitment to helping others. His efforts off-the-ice have made a lasting impact and reflect the values this scholarship was created to recognize. Nolan joins an outstanding group of past recipients who have set a high standard through their leadership, character, and dedication both on and off-the-ice.”
The scholarship will assist MacPherson as he pursues a career in real estate through the UBC Sauder School of Business – Real Estate Division.
“It’s a true honour,” MacPherson said. “What I’ve heard about him, he was somebody who held the community together — the hockey community together in Kelowna. I know what the MindRight for Athletes Society stands for as well. I couldn’t be more excited.”
Among the community initiatives that MacPherson is proud to have been involved with are Hockey Gives Blood and Special Olympics Ball Hockey. Stu Middleton, the founder and president of Hockey Gives Blood, made a big impact on MacPherson’s life.
“I’ve been able to piggyback off that and co-ordinate with my teammates to get them involved in a cause bigger than themselves – contribute to life-saving initiatives,” he said.
“After our first encounter with Special Olympics Ball Hockey, our group fell in love with the initiative of supporting them and seeing what joy it brought them,” MacPherson added. “It was really motivational for our group and ultimately led to us continuing the process for that and organizing more scrimmages.”
He is the seventh recipient of the Remembering Grant Sheridan Scholarship, joining Russell Kosec (Grand Forks Border Bruins) in 2025, Ethan Lawczynski (Castlegar Rebels) in 2024, Ethan Sanders (100 Mile House Wranglers) in 2023, Nathan Hannon (Osoyoos Coyotes) in 2022, Josh Wiens (Castlegar Rebels) in 2021 and Angus Amadio (Beaver Valley Nitehawks) in 2020.
