Players know first-hand the dedication and balance needed to succeed on the ice with their hockey teams and in the classroom with their grades. With this important year of high school underway and bright futures ahead, the hard work put forth by graduating students deserves to be highlighted.

The Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) is proud to partner with Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) to present the Bursary Program for a sixth consecutive year, which recognizes minor hockey players for their outstanding commitment to:

• Academics: dedication to studies and attainment of high grades in the classroom while being leaders in school
• Community service: assisting in building stronger and healthier communities through volunteering and extracurriculars
• Athletics: on-ice success/achievement, as well a passion for the game of hockey and sport community

The 2025 OMHA Bursary Program is comprised of two awards – the Dairy Farmers of Ontario Bursary and the Wally Scott Bursary. It reflects the achievements of young hockey players who are committed to their community, athletic ability, and academic achievement. Each recipient will receive financial support toward their post-secondary education.

“We are thrilled to support OMHA for a sixth season through the 2025 Bursary Program. Each bursary is given to a young athlete whose accomplishments exemplify leadership, resilience, and sportsmanship on and off the ice” said Cheryl Smith, Chief Executive Officer of DFO. “MilkUP is DFO's youth lifestyle brand that was created with youth success in mind. Through these eight bursaries of $5,000 each, we recognize outstanding Ontario youth athletes who demonstrate MilkUP's values: perseverance, originality and heart.”

Eight DFO Bursaries will be awarded at $5,000 each and two Wally Scott Bursary recipients will receive $1,250 each.

The game of hockey was a constant force in Wally Scott’s personal and professional life for over sixty years. He demonstrated this lasting commitment to the game as a coach, fan, father, grandfather and legal counsel. Without question, he was a passionate advocate of the game. Over the decades, Scott’s personal and professional interests in hockey merged to the benefit of the OMHA. The award presented in his name is intended to recognize his contributions and commitment to the OMHA and to the game of hockey.

“The Bursary Program highlights some of the top student-athletes in the OMHA and we are thankful for the continued support from the Dairy Farmers of Ontario,” said Ian Taylor, Executive Director of the OMHA. “Hockey is a great game that teaches far more than the Xs and Os, and this program showcases the life skills like teamwork, time commitment and dedication that our players display in the classroom and extracurriculars in their communities. We hope these bursaries help our players achieve their goals and that they continue to be leaders within their teams and schools.”

All applicants must adhere to the following guidelines:

• Applications can only be submitted for active players aged up to 20 years and must have been a registered player in the Ontario Minor Hockey Association for a minimum of five years.
  • Current OWHA players are eligible to apply so long as they meet the listed criteria and played in the OMHA for a minimum of three years.
• A player confirmed to attend a post-secondary institution for their first year during the 2025-26 school year.
• Maintain a high standard of academic excellence.
• Active in their local community programs (any community sport or social programs).

Candidates must complete the application form below and submit it to the OMHA by 8 p.m. on February 16, 2025. Applications are encouraged to include as much detail as possible about school and extracurricular involvement. Each application will be reviewed by a panel and only the winning recipients will be contacted by the OMHA. We wish the best of luck to all applicants.

Click here to apply or use the form below: