NEWS FILE PHOTO Dan Federkeil, centre, Quinn Skelton, left, and Grant Henderson, right, speak during a press conference to announce the creation of a scholarship to benefit Hat high football players who go on to play for the U of C. The Scholarship will award $800 each year to a qualified applicant and is named in honour of Federkeil's mother Judy who died of cancer in 2009.
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken
Dan Federkeil closed the book on a storied football career last February, but the Gas City product will be at the Family Leisure Centre tonight to celebrate another accolade at the Medicine Hat Sports Wall of Fame induction ceremony.
The 35-year-old Hat High Mohawks alumnus went on to reach the pinnacle of football achievement in both the United States and Canada after winning the Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006 then clinching the Grey Cup as a member of the Calgary Stampeders in 2014.
“It’s certainly been special for us as coaches to be part of it and kind of live vicariously through watching what Dan did,” said Mohawks head coach Quinn Skelton, who coached Federkeil during his high school years. “When he came to us out of junior high he was just a tall, big, lanky kid and basketball was his No. 1 game. Then as he progressed and developed, Grade 11 was a good turnaround year for him, then in Grade 12 he was pretty special. He played with an edge, a pretty tough kid.”
Federkeil will be inducted tonight along with Salta Gymnastics head coach Eva Paniti-Meyer and golfer Kelly Risling.
The 6-foot-7, 309-pound offensive lineman retired from the NFL in 2009, but returned to the game in 2013 to suit up with the Stampeders – where he played in 59 regular season games over five seasons before officially retiring in 2018 as one of roughly 10 players to win championships both north and south of the border.
“It was surreal being here in Medicine Hat and watching it all,” said Skelton. “As coaches, I don’t think any of us are going to take any direct responsibility — Dan is certainly blessed with a lot of fantastic skills, but I think we helped him enjoy the game and learn the game. It was a pleasure for us to see what he’s done.”
Federkeil’s contributions to his community and his game extend beyond the gridiron. The former University of Calgary Dino made the decision to create the Judith Louise Federkeil Memorial Football Award in 2012 – a scholarship aimed at supporting the dreams of a Hat High graduate at U of C each year. While few Mohawks have gone on to play at the U of C in recent years, Skelton says Federkeil still manages to give back by stopping in to share his wisdom with the Mohawks.
“He’s come down here to spend some time at spring camps and help with our summer camp a little bit. He’ll come in and do some guest coaching there,” said Skelton. “Hopefully sometime soon we’ll get another kid up there (with the Dinos) and he can be part of that (scholarship). It would be great.”
