Remembering Dylon Powley: Passionate, competitive, selfless leader touched the entire soccer community
Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Selfless is the word that keeps shining through when those that knew him describe the character of former MacEwan Griffins goalkeeper Dylon Powley, who passed away following a motorcycle crash last week.
The 27-year-old's passion for soccer was evident in not only his competitiveness and intensity on the pitch, but in a life defined by altruism and mentorship off of it.
No moment better encapsulates that than when late Griffins assistant coach Daniel (Dano) Drummond was battling Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) and needed a liver transplant to survive.
In an incredible act of selflessness, Powley was ready and willing to donate part of his liver.
"Not sure many knew, but Powley actually went and got tested to see if he could be a donor to Dano," said Griffins head coach Adam Loga. "I remember him calling me up to go for dinner where he let me know he was getting tested.
"Equally special was when Dano called after Powley shared that news with him that he was getting tested. Those two will forever be in our hearts."
Tragically, Powley passed away a year to the day after Drummond did.
With heavy hearts, we are saddened to learn of the death of former @GriffinsSoccer goalkeeper Dylon Powley.
— MacEwan Griffins (@MacEwanGriffins) June 21, 2024
Over a record-setting tenure at @MacEwanU (2015-17), Dylon's impact on and off the field was immense.
After a pro career, he returned as an assistant coach with the… pic.twitter.com/E8vsVsGfPV
"As a former player, coach and official, he was a big piece of our soccer community," said Loga. "I'm still in disbelief. Sadly, we lost another great human on June 20th.
"Pow always had so much life, energy, and spirit to him. Especially as he grew into the man he was. It was contagious and he was a joy to be around."
A Celebration of Life for Powley will be held July 4, 4 p.m. at the Leduc Recreation Centre (4330 Black Gold Drive). His friends in the soccer community are encouraged to wear team attire – a jersey, tracksuit or referee uniform.
Dylon Powley makes a save under pressure against Saskatchewan during the 2016 season (Chris Piggott photo).
Powley was a rock in goal for the Griffins in their early days in U SPORTS, making a program record 145 saves over two seasons (2015, 2016). He also holds the mark for the most saves by a MacEwan goalkeeper in a single season when he stopped 87 shots in 12 games in 2016 – tied for the fifth-most by anyone in Canada West history.
In both seasons, he was named most outstanding player of the Griffins men's soccer team.
"He was definitely great to have in net," said former teammate Toba Adeniji, who first played with Powley at the 2010 Alberta Summer Games and also in youth with the Edmonton Drillers before they came to MacEwan. "He's definitely the best keeper I ever played with throughout my whole soccer career.
"Just showing how to never give up – even if we were (trailing), he would put his heart out there and just play hard."
Alexander Mosca was a rookie centre-back on the 2016 Griffins.
"So, you can imagine the team we had around him – just getting peppered all season," he said. "We didn't do our best to help him out, but he always got up. He demanded the best from us; he made that very clear. But after the game, he was very supportive and helping out guys. Even after taking probably 20 shots a game, he always wanted to help the guys out."
Dylon Powley, second from right, lines up with his Griffins teammates prior to a 2016 game. Teammate Alexander Mosca is No. 11 (Chris Piggott photo).
After moving away from home to play university soccer, the Calgary native will never forget the impact Powley had on him personally.
"I remember I was going through some personal things my first year," he said. "Being far from home, I let him know what was going on and he reached out and made an effort to go out of his way and say, 'you're not going to sit in your dorm all night and just dwell on it; you're going to come out with us and grab dinner and get you distracted.' That's a big memory of mine – just being unselfish and making sure I felt at home and had support.
"He was like a big brother to me. Whether it was offering driving to practice or inviting me out with the other guys for a movie night, it didn't matter. He was always thinking about me, and honestly everyone around him – all the new teammates."
After his Griffins tenure, Powley played semi-pro for Calgary's Foothills FC and then launched into a pro career that took him to Sweden and the Canadian Premier League, where he played for FC Edmonton and Atlético Ottawa.
After retiring in 2022, Powley joined the Griffins women's soccer team as an assistant coach and ran his own goalkeeper academy to give back to the game he loved. It's part of his altruistic nature to help others.
When his younger brother passed away in March 2023, Powley became an advocate for mental health struggles and organized a Go Fund Me along with his family to give back to Alberta mental health organizations.
He also turned to refereeing and was on track to become one of the top officials in the province.
"Dylon was driven to be the best," Griffins women's soccer head coach Dean Cordeiro told the Edmonton Journal in an article about Powley earlier this week. "There was nobody that was going to get in his way. He was tracking well in that field, and he was on the path of achieving some big things as a referee.
"The soccer community is so small, and he touched so many in this community – as a coach, player, and most recently, a referee. There are many that are heartbroken by this news."
Dylon Powley makes an athletic save during the 2016 season (Chris Piggott photo).
In the days since the tragedy, old teammates have rekindled bonds as they share enduring memories they have of their friend.
"Just his kindness," said Adeniji when asked what he'd remember most about Powley. "He was always a joy to be around. If you ever needed something, he had a big heart and was always able to give what he could.
"Every time I'd see him and talk to him, it was always a joy and with a smile. He had that passion."
Added Mosca: "I think he'll be missed whether it be the MacEwan side, Alberta Soccer, Canada Soccer and overseas, he just made a difference, made an impact. He touched people's lives, for sure. He'll be missed.
"We all love you, Powley."
