D.A. (Donald Alexander) MacMillan
In 1964, when D.A. was 11 yrs of age, he played the first organized soccer game at the Lochiel field. At age15 he moved up to the Glen Sandfield Senior team and played with a talented nucleus of Glen Sandfield boys for several years. Still a young teenager, D.A. became a player-coach alongside Billy MacLeod and lead Glen Sandfield to an intermediate championship.
D.A. attended Glengarry District High School and was a strong multi-sport athlete. One of his favourite memories happened in his grade 13 year. The Gaels’ football team was eliminated early from the league finals. Because high school football and soccer seasons overlapped, it was uncommon for a student to play the two fall sports. An exception was made when soccer coach Malcolm Fraser (2023 Inductee) approached D.A. and offered him the chance to join the Gaels soccer team in hopes of strengthening their roster at approaching EOSSA and OFFSA competitions. Although hesitant to accept, but with the blessing of the team players, D.A. felt this was too good an opportunity to pass.
D.A.'s love for the game and to play at a competitive level continued well after his high school years. He joined Char-Lan United Soccer Club and played for several years in the Ottawa and District Soccer league recruited by coach Rudi Payer (1999 Inductee). While working in Northern Ontario, D.A. played for the Sudbury United Soccer Cub in a highly competitive District Soccer league. Upon returning from Sudbury, he rejoined the Glen Sandfield and Char-Lan Soccer clubs. In 1980, D.A., along with Chris Ropchan, Peter McLeod and Bill Shields, organized a senior men's team to compete in the Cornwall and District Soccer League (CDSL). D.A. was instrumental in recruiting senior players from the GSL men's teams to bring together this group of skilled players who were always competitive and representative of the strong soccer talent of the Glengarry boys. It was this team that launched play under the successful Heart of Glengarry banner. In the late 80s, D.A. organized a Heart of Glengarry Oldtimers team to play again in the CDSL. One team quickly grew to two because of the interest and number of players eligible to play. With the support of 3 of his teammates, Bill Shields, and the lates Gordon MacPherson and Lee Taillefer, this initiative eventually led to the formation of a Men’s Tier II division in the GSL. In the early 90's D.A. endeavoured to capitalize on the local interest to play soccer year-round, so he approached the Phys-Ed Department at GDHS and requested access to the gym for a winter indoor league. This GSL indoor league continues to thrive at the Tim Horton's Dome in Alexandria.
D.A.'s knowledge of soccer and his exceptional organizational talents lead him to coach various teams over the past five decades. He coached the first U-15 team to play under the Heart of Glengarry banner in the EODSA. D.A. coached minor soccer in the Char Lan and GSL leagues and coached his last Heart's minor soccer team in 2017. He coached a Glengarry team at the Indoor Dome and Bensen Centre in Cornwall to several league championships. D.A. is proud to have been asked by his good friend, the late Brian Filion (2003 Inductee), to assist in organizing a fundraiser soccer tournament to help support the school’s team trip to Scotland in 1999. Since, the tournament has evolved into a Heart and GSL reunion opportunity and continues as the Annual Brian Filion Memorial. D.A.’s coaching abilities were called upon again when he was approached by school administration to coach the GDHS soccer team as a result of the secondary teachers’ work-to-rule job action in 2000.
When D.A. was not involved in soccer, one could be sure to find him at the rink. He has always been involved in hockey throughout the years as a player, coach and league organizer. He organized and played old-timers pick-up hockey for 35 plus years in North Glengarry arenas.
D.A. has given of his time and talents while serving long time on the executive of many community and sport organizations, notably the Hôpital Glengarry Memorial Hospital Foundation, Cornwall and District Real Estate Board, Cornwall District Soccer League, Char Lan Minor Soccer, Glengarry Soccer League, Glengarry Golf and Country Club, and Fundraising Chair for the Tim Horton's Dome in Alexandria. In recognition of D.A.'s exemplary dedication and service to his Glengarry community and beyond, he was deservingly awarded the Queen's Jubilee Medal in 2013.
