Michael Soles

This article is about the athlete. For the shooter, see 250 Douglas Place.

Michael Soles

No. 32
Date of birth	(1966-11-08) November 8, 1966
Place of birth	Pointe Claire, Quebec
Career information
Status	Retired
CFL status	National
Position(s)	FB
College	McGill
CFL draft	1989 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5
Drafted by	Edmonton Eskimos
Career history
As player
1989–1995	Edmonton Eskimos
1996–1999	Montreal Alouettes
Career highlights and awards
CFL All-Star	1996
Awards	1996 - Lew Hayman Trophy
Honors	1993 - Grey Cup Champion 1987 - Vanier Cup : Ted Morris Memorial Trophy

Michael "Mike" Soles (born November 8, 1966) is a former all-star Canadian university and Canadian Football League fullback.

Early life

Soles played his high school football with the hometown St. Thomas High School and played his university ball in Montreal with McGill University (1986–89). As a Redman he was a 3 time all-star and rushed for a then team record 2,231 yards in 20 regular season games. His finest moment came in the 1987 Vanier Cup, when he led the underdog McGill team to an upset 47-11 victory over the heavily favoured University of British Columbia, rushing for 203 yards and 2 touchdowns. He won the Ted Morris Memorial Trophy as the game MVP. He was elected to the McGill University Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.

Professional career

Soles was drafted by the Edmonton Eskimos and started a seven year career with them in 1989. His best season was 1992, when he rushed for a career high 656 yards. He won the Grey Cup in 1993.

He finished his career in his hometown, playing 4 final seasons with the Montreal Alouettes. Paired with the all-time CFL rushing great Mike Pringle, Soles became a blocking back, leading the way for Pringle and catching many short yardage passes (for which he was an all-star in 1996.) He won the Lew Hayman Trophy in 1996 as best Canadian player in the East. When he retired, Pringle paid him a supreme compliment, saying he would have never gained the yards he did without Soles' blocking.

Soles finished his 11 year career with 3,007 rushing yards, 3,501 receiving yards (on 325 catches) and 45 touchdowns.

Personal life

Soles and his family still live in the West Island of Montreal, in Beaconsfield. He works in finance.

In 2005, he was diagnosed as suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.