Massey keeper Cels commits to Bobcats
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Parker Cels has been hoping this day would come for years.
The Vincent Massey Vikings goalkeeper has committed to the Brandon University men’s soccer team and will suit up for the Bobcats in the 2026 Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference season.
“I’m really excited. It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, ever since I started taking soccer seriously,” Cels said.
Vincent Massey Vikings goalkeeper Parker Cels has committed to the Brandon University men's soccer team for the 2026 MCAC season. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)
The five-foot-eight goalkeeper first strapped a pair of gloves on five years ago, for a fairly common reason. No one else on his youth team wanted to do it.
Cels became a key piece of the Westman FC squad, and grew into a solid keeper who reads plays well and snuffs out scoring chances before they develop.
While he’s undersized for the position, he makes up for it.
“I’ve always just been more aggressive on the ball,” Cels said. “Instead of being one of those passive goalies who rely on their height to reach the ball, I just run at them and use my speed and agility.”
He spent a few years with Robinson Diaz Sr. as his goalkeeping coach, and said that was massive for his game.
Cels showed his growth in 2024 at the Golden Boy tournament in Winnipeg, when he allowed just one goal in four games as Westman FC won the championship game, and the keeper was named MVP.
While that was a near-flawless weekend, he knows the game isn’t all about perfection, especially at the next level.
The Bobcats took the No. 1 seed into the playoffs last year, but still gave up about one goal per game before reaching the final and falling 2-1 in extra time to Canadian Mennonite University.
“When I’m in net, it’s just ‘forget.’ If you make a mistake, move past it,” Cels said. “Don’t let it stick with you, stick to what you know and don’t let it get in your head.”
Cels’ biggest goals this summer are improving his distribution, to help turn defence into offence at BU, and his vertical to win more balls in the air.
So far this high school season, the Vikings haven’t made many mistakes defensively. Cels didn’t play the opener when Massey beat Crocus Plains 2-1, but has helped the team avoid conceding another.
The Vikings beat the Neelin Spartans 3-0 and 4-0, and blew the Plainsmen out 7-0 to finish 4-0 and secure a bye to the league final.
The Plainsmen and Spartans drew 3-3 before Crocus won the second game 3-1 on Wednesday to earn home-field advantage for the semifinal on May 20.
The winner heads to Massey on May 25, for a spot in the provincial championship in June.
The most likely matchup in the city final features another future Bobcat.
Their captain, Ben Ibitoye, is also in the BU rookie class along with Boissevain’s Russell Harper and Morden’s Levi Francis.
» tfriesen@brandonsun.com