Ivan MacMillan

From the football field of Glengarry District High School in Alexandria to the football field of Empire Stadium in British Columbia: this was the road traveled by a young Ivan MacMillan in the early years of the 1970s.

Ivan was born on February 8, 1952 to Archie and Doreen MacMillan of Lochiel. He attended Lorne Public School and, following his father’s death, Ivan’s family moved to Alexandria. Here he finished public school, continued to play junior soccer in Lochiel, and entered Glengarry District High School where he played junior football.

Ivan watched older brother Stanley play football with the Lachine Lakers in the West Island Juvenile league. Stanley gained recognition from the Montreal Alouettes using his soccer-style placement kick and it was only natural that kid brother Ivan would emulate his brother’s side-wheel approach to belt the football through the goalposts.

Eager to gain experience, Ivan began playing soccer with the Verdun Invictus Junior Football Club in 1968. He returned to High School in Alexandria and to the school football team. In 1969 he attended the Ottawa Rough Riders training camp but with Don Sutherin still at his peak he held little chance of being selected. Again in 1970 Ivan attended the camp. There were a lot of changes in the Rider camp and Frank Clair was now general manager. Ivan was enthusiastic but there was still Don Sutherin, Moe Racine and others to surpass. A confident Ivan held his own in accuracy and kicking distance and Coach Jack Gotta took a great interest in the young lad. He made the team as a first-string placement kicking specialist and finished fourth in the Eastern Conference scoring race in his first year.

The following year, Ivan was replaced by a bigger, more versatile Canadian named Gerry Organ, and he found himself doing the placement kicking for the Toronto Argonauts under coach Leo Cahill. After completing two successful years with Toronto, Ivan was on his way to Empire Stadium and the British Columbia Lions where he played until his career ended in 1975.

The Lions Club of Alexandria selected Ivan as the recipient of the Vern de Geer Memorial Trophy for 1970. This trophy is awarded to the outstanding Canadian athlete with a Glengarry tie – Glengarry County’s Athlete of the Year.

Ivan lives with his wife and young daughter in North Vancouver where they have their own business, Freedom Sports / Vikan Trampolines, which Ivan has operated for almost twenty years. The primary focus of the company is the marketing of family backyard trampolines. Ivan considers himself “very lucky” and says “to have grown up in Lochiel/Alexandria was certainly a big part of my good fortune.”