Anson McMaster from the Siksika Nation recently helped Team South win the Alberta Cup Bantam Hockey Championships in a tournament held for the Top 160 bantam hockey players in that province.
“The Alberta Cup Championships takes place a week before the hockey drafts and is a higher level than the Bantam AAA which involves the top 160 hockey players in Alberta,” said Jamie Steer, head coach for Team South.
“They are split into eight teams and this year Alberta South won the championship!”
Steer named McMaster the team’s assistant captain for the hockey tournament at the first try-outs. “It was fairly easy because Anson is one of the best. He skates really well both forward and backwards, and he works really hard,” Steer said. “He’s a quiet leader, a front-of-the-line player. One thing I noticed as the tournament progressed is he got better. I always tell my players if a team gets better every game, they’ll win the tournament.”
At the team’s awards banquet, the 14 year old, 6 feet 4 inch tall, 175 pound McMaster won Defensemen of the Year, Top Scorer, and Most Valuable Player, plus the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League chose him as Top Defensemen of the Year for the South Division.
I asked McMaster what he thought about winning the Alberta Cup with Team South, and his recent awards and recognition while playing for the Rocky Mountain Raiders.
“It was a pretty good experience playing with the best hockey players in the province, and winning wasn’t bad as well,” said McMaster.
During the Alberta Cup, McMaster was chosen Game Star for one of the games as Team South went on to defeat Team Northwest 5-1 in the championship game.
Among his most recent achievements, McMaster was just drafted 23rd overall in the WHL bantam draft by Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook. His parents, Mandi and Trevor Running Rabbit, are very proud of their son and instill education as a top priority.
“We are so proud and happy for our boy. He’s worked so hard through training five times a week and also keeping up his school average to 85%,” Mandi said. “We as parents have always told our kids that if they keep up with their education they can do anything they want, and for Anson that is to make it as far as he can in hockey, plus getting his schooling done along the way.”
McMaster appears to be listening to his parents as he told First Nations Drum he’s just finishing Grade 9 at the Crowther Memorial Junior High School in Strathmore, Alberta.
“Math is my favourite subject with an 85 percent average. I would like one day, maybe after hockey, possibly being a scientist.”
His favourite NHL player is Shea Webber, and if he had a choice to play for an NHL team it would definitely be his favourite team to cheer for, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
McMaster is on his way toward a bright future, and coach Steer thinks the same.
“So far he`s heading in the right direction. He’s 6 – 4, he needs to gain more body weight, needs to get stronger, and with his growth spurt he’ll continue working hard on his hockey skills. Anything is possible with this kid,” said coach Steer.
Not often do hockey fans travel 6 plus hours to watch their favorite team play an NHL game. Well, maybe they do, but with the more than 50 people from Northern Saskatchewan that attended the Sunday, March 12th game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens, there was a little something special for the group.
Beaver Sports and Memorabilia Inc. (Edmonton, AB) arranged the meet-and-greet for the group, and talked to Sportsnets’ Gene Principe to do a live TV feature of their visit during the game.
On Saturday, March 11th, some of the group that arrived early in Edmonton got a surprise opportunity to watch the Canadiens practice at the newly minted Rogers Place.
As some of the group cheered on with every save made by First Nations hero Carey Price, others waved to two-time Stanley Cup champion Dwight King.
Carey Price spends time with Dawnie Favel
King is originally from Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, and some the kids have attended King’s Hockey School, so it was something of a personal connection for all who came.
After practice, both players made their way to the seating area where the group was sitting. Here, they introduced themselves and talked with their fans, signed autographs, and took pictures.
“I had a dream weekend,” says Ile-a-la Crosse resident Ken Raymond. “I’ve been a fan of the Montreal Canadiens forever and always enjoyed watching Carey Price, but to have this time with them is just unbelievable.”
Both players did not disappoint their fans. They took as much time as they could to ensure everyone got an autograph or a picture with them.
“Both players were so humble, and for them to do this for us is just overwhelming”, says Oilers die-hard Donny Favel.
Carson Favel meets Carey Price
“So awesome that we got to meet a huge Aboriginal role model this weekend, regardless of the team he plays for. It’s even better when Sportsnet calls you and wants to feature your visit on a national broadcasting NHL game,” says Favel. “What an amazing weekend we had.”
Price is a very humble man, and enjoys spending the time to sign autographs. He knows that it will inspire youth in achieving their dreams. One day, and we all know it, Price will raise that Lord’s Stanley Cup above his head, and many, many people across North America will be so happy for him and celebrate with him. Believe me, that day is coming.
Part of the Northern Saskatchewan Group attending Canadiens practice
Price backstopped Canada to Olympic Gold in 2014, and has almost won every award there is for a goaltender to win, including the NHL Most Valuable Player (Hart Memorial) in 2015. He cleaned up at the NHL Awards that year. Montréal selected him in 2005: 1st Round, 5th over-all.
Dwight King recently got traded from the Los Angeles Kings, who drafted him in 2007 in the 4th round as their 18th pick and 109th overall. He has been a steady force. King played a key role in the Los Angeles Kings first two Stanley Cup championships back in 2012 and 2014.
Dwight King pays his visit to his Northern Saskatchewan Visitors
As there are many Montréal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers fans in Northern Saskatchewan that travelled to the game, they are already looking forward to the next tilt in 2017-2018 schedule.
His favourite memories of playing hockey was not during his days as a professional or a junior hockey player, not at all. Rather, it was of his times heading to the lake with his grandpa and playing with his makeshift hockey stick and horse manure as his puck.
Fred “Chief Running Deer” Sasakamoose, 83-years young and born on the Ahtahkakoop First Nation in Saskatchewan, became the first Indian to play in the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1954. Sasakamoose had just finished playing a game with his team the Moose Jaw Canucks, when he got the call and travelled to suit-up with the Blackhawks to play at the Toronto Maple Leaf Gardens on the night of February 27, 1954. He would spend another year with the Blackhawks before spending many years with other professional teams, and the minor leagues.
Fred Sasakamoose. Photo courtesy of The Globe and Mail
Sasakamoose’s story is so intriguing that a movie about his life is in discussion. As of yet, he has made no definite decision to go through with it, but he will be meeting with movie directors and producers, or as he would put it, “people with them camera’s.” This is planned for mid-March when he travels to Montreal. But first, he wants to attend the opening of the ‘Little Native Hockey League 2017’ in Mississauga, Ontario, where he and other native hockey greats like, Ted Nolan, Reggie Leach, Gino Odjick, Johnathan Cheechoo, and many more will be there to salute the young hockey players of the future.
Before I get into his illustrious career, let’s get back to the story of Sasakamoose’s favourite hockey memory he shared with First Nations Drum.
“The best memory was the beginning of my life – learning to play hockey with my grandpa. We’d walk down to the lake with my toboggan, and he’d put box skates on me. He’d then dig a hole in the ice and fish while I skated around with my hockey stick, shooting around a horse manure puck,” Sasakamoose recalls. “My grandpa would cut off a willow branch to carve out a hockey stick. I cannot imagine beginning my life without my grandpa, he was the start of my life.”
Sasakamoose says he spent 10 years in a residential school. At the age of six-years-old, the Department of Indian Affairs took him and his eight-year-old brother from his parents.
“I remember a big truck pulling in front of our house and they took me and my brother in the back, which was filled with about 30 other kids who were all crying,” he said. “There really was nothing my parents could do, and I remember my grandfather yelling and trying to grab me, but he was not a big man and was pushed away by the two big men.”
His parents, Roderick and Sugil Sasakamoose, like thousands of Indian parents across the country, were forced to give up their children to the residential school. This was an order by the Canadian government, and if they refused, they were sent to jail.
Sasakamoose would spend the next 10 years, as he would put it, “it was like a jail system,” at the St. Micheal’s Indian Residential School at Duck Lake. Soon after arriving to the school, the priest then proceeded to cut off his and all the other children’s braids, and years of abuse ensued. Sasakamoose said it was inhuman what he went through, but that if there is something positive to talk about, he became a strong, young man by the age of 12 because of the heavy chores he did all those years.
“They could not break me, even sexual abuse, being beaten by the nuns and priests; I did learn a hard work ethic with doing chores every day and working in the barns. By the age of 12, I was a pretty strong little man, and not a bad hockey player, too.”
He would play hockey with the other boys at residential school with a 3-inch hockey blade stick. He thinks that’s how he became a good hockey player, because when he played with a regular sized hockey stick it was so much easier, and everything felt natural about hockey.
In 1953, he was selected as the most valuable player in the Western Canada Junior Hockey League when he played for the Moose Jaw Canucks. Sasakamoose said that when he was a kid, like many boys across the country, all he remembers was listening to Hockey Night in Canada on the radio and dreaming of playing in the NHL.
“You know, turning on the radio was like turning on the TV today, it was that good listening to Hockey Night in Canada every Saturday. We all got excited listening to the radio, and seeing the players though our imagination by listening to the announcers on the radio. We all wanted to be there one day, and for me, I knew it would happen!”
Sasakamoose said the game was played differently back then. “We had less equipment, no helmets, and we respected each other as players, that’s why we didn’t have too many injuries. You still had the tough guys making themselves known on the ice, but generally, it was a great game.”
He said playing with the Chicago Blackhawks got him $6000 a year, but the money has never been what was important. It was the game that he lived for.
“I asked Gordie Howe one time how much money he made, and he said, ‘Oh not that much,’ it was just that he really wanted to wear the Detroit Red Wings Jersey,” said Sasakamoose. “I agreed with Gordie, nothing beats wearing that Chicago Blackhawks jersey, no money could buy what it felt like skating into the Chicago Stadium with that jersey.”
Sasakamoose played against the best in hockey like Maurice Richard, Jean Beliveau, Tim Horton, and Gordie Howe. During his playing days, it was the ‘original six’ era of the NHL with: Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Blackhawks. He once told the Globe and Mail that when he played in the NHL, there were only 125 players allowed in the league.
“At the time, there were 125 players on six teams, and I was one of them,” Sasakamoose says. “I succeeded to the highest level you could achieve. I played against the best in the game, perhaps the best that ever played. It is unbelievable when you face off against Rocket Richard. His eyes looked at you like a tiger.”
After retiring from hockey, he became a band councillor on his home reserve, and later chief for six years. He has also been extensively involved in the development of sports programs for aboriginal children. In 2002, he was honoured by the Blackhawks organization.
Adam Rogowin, the Chicago Blackhawks senior executive director for communications, says that they’re proud to call Fred a member of the Chicago Blackhawks alumni group.
“He’s another example of a former Blackhawks player that has made so many positive contributions both on-and-off the ice.”
Sasakamoose is so well respected, even the ‘great one,’ Wayne Gretzky talked about him in his book ‘99’ on how Sasakamoose has influenced hockey. Sasakamoose was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in the builder’s category. He was also a founding member of the Northern Indian Hockey League.
Today, he still lives a healthy life, walking an hour each morning and doing his weightlifting. He says he loves life, and if there were a movie made of his story, he’d like money made to go to the health of his community for causes like drug addiction and HIV prevention centres.
This past October, 20-year-old Rilee Many Bears of the Siksika Nation won a gold medal for Canada at the 2015 World Indigenous Games in Palmas, Brazil. Rilee competed in the 8.4 kilometres event which consisted of both a cross country and road race course.
Rilee Many Bears of the Siksika Nation won a gold medal for Canada at the 2015 World Indigenous Games in Palmas, Brazil.
Rilee says that winning the gold medal was a symbol of what determination and goal setting can achieve. “I was extremely happy and proud after I crossed that finish line,” said Rilee. “I trained for six weeks for this race, after I was selected to represent Canada in Brazil.” His next goal is to begin training for the upcoming Olympic Trials to be held in Edmonton early next summer.
Over 2,000 participating Indigenous athletes from 30 countries competed in Brazil for the first World Indigenous Games. Indigenous athletes competed in a variety of sporting events, including football, athletics, canoeing, archery, and many Indigenous traditional games.
Rilee was recently given a Blackfoot name in a special naming ceremony and was gifted with the name Iinomaaka, meaning Running Buffalo. The Siksika Nation also celebrated his gold medal, with members of Chief & Council, family, friends, and supporters gathering at the community’s Deerfoot Sportsplex.
Rilee was raised on the Siksika Nation and attended Bassano School. In high school, he excelled in athletics, representing his school at the provincial level in track and cross country racing. In the summer of 2014, Rilee competed at the North American Indigenous Games held in Regina and won a gold medal in the 3,000 metres race, including bronze medals in 1,500 metres and 6 km cross country events.
The majority of the time, Rilee trains at home, but he also trains with the University of Calgary Track & Field team. Rilee has overcome many challenges, one of which is a health condition called Wolf Parkinson’s White Syndrome, an extra pathway between a patient’s upper heart chambers (atria) and lower chambers (ventricles). The condition causes a rapid heartbeat, which will require surgery to correct. Rilee has also endured personal losses, poverty, and addictions in his life.
His mentor is Billy Mills, the Olympic Gold Medalist in the 10,000 meters of the 1964 Summer Olympics. Billy Mills is a Sioux Indian from South Dakota; his life was portrayed in a biopic called Running Brave.
“I first heard of Billy Mills in 2011, and I was instantly a fan,” said Rilee. “I met him in Portland, Oregon in 2014, and I was excited and nervous to meet him. Since then, I’ve met Billy a couple more times, including when he came up to Siksika for a racing event. He is truly an inspiration, and I am honoured to know him personally.”
Rilee will compete in one more race this year and will use his success in 2015 as a motivator for next year’s Olympic trials.
He’s been described by many as calm, patient, a well grounded guy, and one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. This past June at the NHL Awards, Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens won the Ted Lindsay (most outstanding player), Jennings (fewest goals allowed), Vezina (league/General Managers award), and Hart Trophies (MVP), and became the first goaltender in NHL history to win all four individual awards in the same season.
Price was extremely grateful when accepting his awards and told First Nations Drum, “Obviously I was thrilled on receiving the awards, and [it was] a lot of fun to go to the awards with my friends and family,”
Carey Price. Photo courtesy of Club de Hockey Canadien, Inc.
In Price’s NHL acceptance speeches to some of the most decorated hockey players in the world, he also addressed and shared his words with the youth about his hard work ethic and desire to be the best. “I would like to share a moment to encourage First Nations youth,” said Price, who was raised in the Aboriginal community of Anahim Lake, BC. “People would say it’s very improbable that I’d make it to this point in my life. I made it here because I wasn’t discouraged. I worked hard to get here, took advantage of every opportunity that I had, and I would really like to encourage First Nation youth to be leaders in their communities. Be proud of your heritage, and don’t be discouraged from the improbable.”
In the interview with First Nations Drum, Price added, “Just play hockey if you want to be a hockey player, but you don’t have to play hockey to be successful. You can be a teacher, a lawyer, doctor, even a chief of your First Nation, as long as you’re successful in what you do.” His final advice to youth was to accomplish those goals you set out for yourself. “If you want to make a name for yourself, you have to go out and earn it.”
Price also puts his words into action, as he’s involved in Breakfast Club of Canada and Air Canada Foundation, which feeds children in communities throughout Canada, including10,000 meals a year in his home community of Anahim Lake alone. “I got involved because this is an important initiative for the children, especially in rural communities who can’t afford to have a proper breakfast; they bring the food to these communities to help with the kids’ nutrition. Children can’t learn if they are hungry, and it affects their learning ability to even focus in school.”
Price who turns 28 years old on August 16th began his meteoric rise in hockey by playing his junior career with the Tri-City Americans in the Western Hockey League (WHL) in 2002 at the age of 15. Price was drafted fifth overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2005 while still with the Tri-City Americans, where he won the Del Wilson Trophy as top goaltender in the WHL. In 2007, he joined the Montreal Canadiens farm team, the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League (AHL), and proceeded to lead the Bulldogs to win the Calder Cup Championship and the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the tournament MVP. In the same year, Price was was called up by the Montreal Canadiens and played back-up goalie. Later in his first season (2007-08) with Montreal, Price became the starting goaltender.
Price has represented Canada at various international tournaments, including winning gold medals at the 2007 World Junior Hockey Championships and the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, where he received the Sochi Olympic top goaltending award from the International Ice Hockey Federation directorate. He said winning the Olympic gold medal has been one of the highlights of his flourishing career so far. “The Olympics and winning the Gold Medal was a huge highlight. Not only that, but the whole Olympic experience and taking in other events and the Olympic Village.” Price said. “Winning the Cup is a top priority, and reaching that goal is my main priority in hockey.”
Price was born in Vancouver, British Columbia to Lynda and Jerry Price. “I grew up both on and off the reserve of Ulkatcho First Nation. I remember we lived in this real old house, a log cabin with a tin roof, and later moved into a nicer place. But I always go home when I get chance; it’s always like a huge happy family reunion to head back to the rez.”
As a young boy, his father would drive the 10-hour round trip two or three days a week for hockey practice or house league games. Carey’s father would eventually buy a little piper cherokee bush plane to fly him to practice. The plane didn’t go very fast, but it got him to the rink a lot faster. Carey’s mother is the former Chief of the Ulkatcho First Nation. His father was also a goaltender; he was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1978 and played four seasons in various professional hockey leagues. He has a sister Kayla, and his second cousin is Shane Doan who plays with the Arizona Coyotes.
The hockey players he idolized growing up included Patrick Roy of the Montreal Canadiens. “I pretty much liked every goalie in the NHL. I also admired players like Pavel Bure, Steve Yzermen, Wayne Gretzky, players of that calibre.” When asked if his father pushed him to play goaltender, Price said, “Nope. He never pushed me to play hockey. I just got interested on my own, and I just stuck to playing goalie since I was a kid.”
Carey Price and the Montreal Canadiens finished first place in the Eastern Conference regular season with 110 points but lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round. Following the NHL Awards ceremony and the hockey season, the general impression from president Geoff Molson, general manager Marc Bergevin, and head coach Michel Therrien, as well as the whole Canadiens organization: they’re extremely happy and proud of Carey and everything he accomplished last season. Well deserved.
For the first time in their team’s history, the Strathmore UFA Bisons are headed to the Telus Nationals Midget Triple A Hockey Championships. The Bisons were chosen at a training camp last September, the best players included 16-year-old Trygve Many Guns of the Siksika Nation. Along the road to the Telus National Cup, the Bisons won five series against the Calgary Flames midget team 2-0, Calgary Royals 3-0, Calgary Buffaloes, Edmonton CAC 3-2, and the Pacific Regional Championship series 2-0 against the Vancouver N.E. Chiefs. At the UBC Thunderbird Arena in Vancouver, I watched the Bisons sweep the N.E. Chiefs in two games by the scores of 4-2 and 5-0.
Strathmore UFA Bisons—2015 Pacific Regional Champions. The Bisons now represent Team Alberta at the Telus Cup National Midget Hockey Championships.
The Bisons will represent Alberta at the national midget hockey championships and head coach Dan Macdonald says he’s very optimistic that his team will deliver. “Alberta is usually in the medals along with Saskatchewan and Quebec, but it all depends on the year,” MacDonald said. “We have a legitimate shot at winning the nationals because these players deserve everything they are getting. I told them at the beginning of the season they’re just as good, if not better than other teams, and they can be champions!”
Coach MacDonald talked about their success against the Vancouver Chiefs in the Pacific Regionals. “We wanted to control the puck by pressuring their defence so they were hurried and would make mistakes. Also we wanted to check them throughout the two games when in possession of the puck and take it to the net to create chances,” The coach continued, “We move the puck quickly up the ice to play fast and confuse the opposition, we’ve done this all year and it gives us a greater chance of being in possession of the puck more time to make plays and create more scoring chances.” Leading the Bisons in playoff points are Barrett Sheen and Kyle Gordon, tied with 21 points, and Gary Haden with 20 points.
Jamie Jackson, Vancouver N.E. Chiefs head coach praised the Strathmore Bisons for their offensive pressure in both games, as well as their defence. “I would give a lot of of credit to Bisons’ defence and goaltending. We have been able to expose the weakness in a team’s defence all season,” coach Jackson said. “The size and skating ability of the team’s defence in combination with more size and speed on the back made it difficult for us to get speed in transition. Once we got below the Bisons’ goal line, we were able to sustain some offence and get the chances we were looking for.”
2015 Pacific Regional Midget Hockey Champion Trygve Many Guns of the Siksika Nation will play in the Telus National Cup with Strathmore UFA Bisons.
Coach Macloed talked about the only First Nations player on the Bisons, Trygve Many Guns of the Siksika Nation wearing number 13. “Trygve Many Guns is a power forward who is very good in the offensive zone. Offensively, he drives the net and with his size; he is a threat every time he’s on the ice. He creates offensive chances for his linemates by being hard on the puck, and he’s a very good shooter. His line is very effective at taking the puck to the net where Trygve excels.” First Nations Drum also spoke to the shy 6’3” forward. “I thought I played a good physical game and made sure to let Vancouver know that they can’t mess with us,” he said. “The first half of the final game was really tough, and we got lucky by having two of their goals disallowed.” Trygve said he was excited to get going to the Telus National Cup and will focus on being faster and getting places quicker. “My favourite player is Evegeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and if I had to choice in team I would like one day like to play for, it would be the Montreal Canadiens because they have a winning history and every year they have a chance at winning the cup, and it’s such a nice city.” Trygve will play with the Regina Pats in the WHL Junior Hockey next season and plans to go all the way to professional hockey.
Since 1974, the best minor hockey teams in the country have competed for Canada’s National Midget Championships. The list of Telus Cup alumni includes names like Sidney Crosby, Patrick Roy, Ron Francis, and Steve Yzerman. Coach MacDonald says this will be the Bisons’ first trip to the Telus Cup, and he know his players must play very hard because all the teams are champions from their leagues. “Since we’re representing Alberta, we know that Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Quebec are usually in the medals, so we have that history to defend.” The Strathmore UFA Bisons schedule includes Team Quebec (April 20), Quebec host team (April 21), Regina Pat Canadians (April 22), Team Atlantic (April 23), Toronto Young Nationals (April 24), and the Telus playoffs April 25-26.
TELUS CUP 2015 Update: The Strathmore Bisons narrowly missed the podium as they were defeated by the Regina Pat Canadians 6-3 on Sunday, April 26 in the bronze medal game. Trygve Many Guns had an assist in that medal match-up and played a solid game. Overall, Many Guns had 2 goals and 3 assists for 5 points in the National Midget Hockey Championships. Strathmore does have some consolation in being able to beat this years’ eventual Telus Cup Champions, the Toronto Young Nationals, 5-3 in the tournament’s preliminary round. Barrett Sheen and Gary Haden both led with 8 points for Strathmore.
The Toronto Young Nationals defeated Chateaguay 6-2 in the Telus Cup final, and Strathmore ended the tournament with a 3-4 win/loss record. Strathmore had a strong 4th place showing, making the Final Four. Although the last two games didn’t quite go their way, the team can be proud that out of 142 qualifying midget 3A teams across the country, they are among the best.
Xul-si-malt was a true pioneer, becoming one of the greatest soccer players of his generation. Xul-si-malt, also known by his English name Harry Manson, was born in 1879 on the Snuneymuxw First Nation. His brief but enduring legacy was that he played on all the premiere Nanaimo soccer teams and captained the Snuneymuxw Indian Wanderers. Local press during his soccer years acknowledges Manson as “one of the best players Nanaimo has produced.”
Harry “Xul-si-malt” Manson
Robert Janning, author of the 2012 West Coast Reign, a book recalling British Columbia’s soccer past from 1892-1905, became aware of Manson and his place in history while writing his book. “When I consider the bigger pictures of Xul-si-malt, I see a First Nation man breaking segregating barriers at a time when structures such as the Indian Reserves and Residential Schools were being constructed,” Janning said. “Harry Manson just wanted to pursue his passion for soccer, and it did not matter to him whether he was playing with or against players from different backgrounds. It is therefore an undisputed fact that Harry broke the colour barriers in sport long before Jessie Owens and Jackie Robinson had been born.”
Xul-si-malt made his competitive debut on September 2, 1897 at the age of 18 captaining Snuneymuxw Indian Warriors against the Nanaimo Thistles. That game as described in Westcoast Reign was marred by heavy gale and torrents of rain, and ended in a 4-4 draw. The two teams also played each other in two closely contested games during the 1897-98 season, with Xul-si-malt making a huge impression in those matches. The Nanaimo Thistles would compete in the 1898 BC Challenge Cup and BC provincial championships but were compelled by player illness to make line-up changes. They hastily recruited Xul-si-malt, making him the first indigenous player to compete in the BC provincial championship. Xul-si-malt wasted no time by scoring the first goal five minutes into the game against Victoria YMCA.
Victoria went on to win both games and the provincial championships, but this series also marked the first time a First Nations player played on a Nanaimo soccer team. According to West Coast Reign this was during the time when mistreatment and public disrespect towards First Nations people was socially acceptable and common. An article in the Nanaimo Free Press, for example, reported that a Ladysmith fan cried “Kill the savages!” during a match between the two towns in 1907, at which Nanaimo fielded a team comprising both Europeans and Snuneymuxw players. The article went on to praise the hometown indigenous players, stating that “the savages are all masters in football art.” Janning noted that despite such open and prevalent racism, the Snuneymuxw players persisted in the pursuit of soccer glory.
In 1899, the Snuneymuxw players finally convinced the soccer hierarchy they were good enough to play against the best players in British Columbia when the Nanaimo Indian Wanderers AFC were officially recognized. That same year, Snuneymuxw played the Nanaimo Thistles in the provincial semifinals on December 16, 1899 in one of the most bitterly contested series the province had ever seen. In the first game, the Indian Wanderers tied the Thistles in a come-from-behind 3-3 draw at a cold rainy Nanaimo Cricket Grounds. In game 2, on New Years Day 1900, the Thistles took a controversial 3-2 win over the Indian Wanderers, where the Wanderers argued the validity of the winning goal. Even the 500 plus spectators believed the Indian Wanderers were justified in making their claim against the goal ruling, but in the end their protests were denied. In game 3, the Indian Wanderers took a 2-1 victory forcing another match. In game 4, the Indian Wanderers appeared headed for the series victory when the Thistles scored the equalizer, ending the game in a 1-1 draw. Finally on February 3, 1900, the Thistles would go on to win 6-1 and the provincial semifinals, claiming one of the longest and most controversial series seen to that date. In 1902, the Indian Wanderers would lose the Nanaimo City Championships 4-3 to the Nanaimo Athletics.
Nanaimo All-Stars was formed in 1903 to play in the provincials with team members chosen from the four local teams. Xul-si-malt was one of three indigenous players chosen from Snuneymuxw Indian reserve. The All-Stars easily shut out the Cowichan AFC in 2 straight games, with 8-0 goals against to advance into the provincial finals. The All-Stars would defeat the Esquimalt Garrison FC 4-0 to claim the provincials with Xul-si-malt, Louis Martin, and Joe Peters becoming the first indigenous players to become BC provincial champions.
In 1904, the Indian Wanderers proved their superiority defeating the Nanaimo Athletics, 4-0 proving their earlier season 4-3 win against the Athletics was no fluke. The Athletics’ loss was reflected with a mere 4-line sports review in the Nanaimo Free Press, and if that wasn’t bad enough, Xul-si-malt and his teammates had to wait 6 months later two receive their City Championship medals.
The Harry Manson Family at the Soccer Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Vaughn, Ontario, November 9th 2014.
Xul-si-malt would go onto win many more soccer games with the Indian Wanderers and become one of the greatest soccer players of his time, even being scouted by European Teams. He developed into a fine baseball player as well, playing with the Nanaimo Reliance Baseball Club in 1906. He married Lucy Sampson, who gave him his only son, Adam. On February 10, 1912 at the age of 32, tragedy struck as he was killed by a train after walking into town getting medicine for his sick baby boy. The respect that was held for Xul-si-malt in the community was evident, as his death was given front page coverage in both the Nanaimo Daily Herald and Nanaimo Free Press.
“I believe the values of diversity and inclusivity that Xul-si-malt Harry Manson embraced set a wonderful example for today’s youth of the success that can be achieved,” Janning said. Adam Manson, Xul-si-malt’s great grandson says the Manson family was overwhelmed when they heard of the induction. “The emotions were high, and he deserves this great honour, and the family is proud of what Harry is bringing to the Manson name.” Adam Manson is an educational assistant at Stzuminus Community School and has kept the soccer legacy alive in the Manson family, as he is part of the soccer coaching school staff.
The 2014 Soccer Hall of Fame inducted Xul-si-malt in a ceremony held on November 9 in Vaughan, Ontario. The Friends of Harry Manson are looking for U-17 teams to compete in the Harry Manson Legacy soccer tournament on June 20, 2015.
Pavel Bure was without question the most dynamic and talented hockey player to wear a Canucks jersey. He scored 50 goals in his rookie season and went on to lead the team in scoring for the next 6 years. Bure was the complete athlete with a combination of speed, skill, and an intuitive understanding of the game that made him one of the elite players in the NHL. During his tenure with the Canucks, the team went from the basement of the western division to the Stanley Cup finals. He was nicknamed The Rocket, a moniker that had been given to the legendary Maurice Richard back in the fifties and left dormant until someone of equal skill and will picked up the torch.
Wayne Gretzky in his prime had the burly and dangerous Dave Semenko ride shotgun on his line, and Semenko made sure opponents didn’t get physical with The Great One. Pavel Bure had Gino Odjick, the Algonquin enforcer, doing the same job. “When I played, if anyone went into Pavel’s airspace, he was getting a beating,” Odjick told the Vancouver Sun. The two players who came from completely different backgrounds became close friends during the years they played for the Canucks. Their friendship has remained intact over the years as both have left hockey for endeavours in the private sector.
Pavel Bure returned to Vancouver on November 2nd, to have his jersey retired, an honour that should have been bestowed upon him a long time ago. The reason it took so long goes back to the nineties when the Canucks fired Pat Quinn, who had saved the franchise and hired the volatile and sometimes mindless Mike Keenan. There had been contractual problems with management, but they were a drop in the bucket compared to the animosity that was building up between Bure and his coach. Keenan’s boot camp mentality and his habit of letting the media know which players he disliked—and Pavel Bure was on top of the list—built a wall between him and The Rocket.
Keenan was one of the Canucks management’s biggest mistakes, but by the time they realized it, Pavel Bure wanted to be traded to another team. It was a sad ending that somehow tainted Bure’s legacy and made the new management hesitant in retiring his jersey. Gino Odjick, took it personally. “I was crazy enough to believe Pavel could get into the Hall of Fame and he could get his jersey retired.” He knew Francesco Aquilini, who was part of the family who owned the Canucks and for eight years tried to convince him to retire Pavel Bure’s jersey. Finally, when Pavel Bure was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame, Gino convinced Aquilini to come to Toronto for a dinner with Bure. “I got them to that dinner. This doesn’t happen without Pat Quinn at the Hall of Fame. And it doesn’t happen without Francesco Aquilini.”
The Canucks owner realized he was now dealing with the Canucks only member in the NHL Hall of Fame and agreed it was time for Bure’s jersey to be hoisted to the rafters. “This is really about the fans. That’s why I did this. Pavel was tremendously popular. I know lots of people who became fans because of Pavel,” he said. On November 2nd, after a five minute standing ovation, Pavel Bure’s jersey was raised to rafters and will remain there forever. A very emotional Bure was filled with gratitude for his former team and his friend Gino, who he insisted be on the ice with him for the ceremony.
Life is a dream for light heavyweight Canadian Metis boxing champion Ralph “Junior” Moar. Fresh from a recent victory defending his title against Micheal Walchuck in Winnipeg on October 12, Junior “The Real Deal” Moar (age 35) is pouring over scripts for his upcoming biopic tentatively entitled “The Champion.” Filmmaker Maurice Smith expects to be shooting early next summer in Winnipeg and Ontario. “I’ve been working on this for about a year now,” said Moar. “[Smith] came to the gym and sought me out. My friend Gino Odjick [former Vancouver Canuck enforcer] told him about me and said ‘You got to do a movie about this guy; you can’t make this stuff up.’”
Smith, a Hollywood veteran of more than 30 movies, said production will cost about $4.5 million and compared Moar’s boxing career with the movies Raging Bull and Rocky. He described Moar’s story as the small time local boy does good. “You gotta like the little guy. A lot of times, chance ends up creating reality” said Smith. He hopes to complete the film in time to premiere at the American Film Market in L.A. and the Cannes Film Festival. Moar said the movie will focus on his early life as a young man in the gang and penitentiary and his rise back to boxing acclaim. “I really hope this movie can make it in the mainstream,” said Moar.
Moar’s life story has been described as “the greatest comeback of all time” by renowned sports writer Lou Eisen. Moar grew up in in the rough poor section of Winnipeg’s east end and played hockey, like so many other Canadian youth. He involved himself in boxing enjoyed a lengthy amateur career with an astounding record of 128-17. By 18 years of age, Moar won the Canadian amateur middleweight championship and was named the Boxer of the Year by the Canadian Amateur Boxing Association.
Moar fell from grace in the boxing world when members of the notorious Zig Zag Crew, an affiliate of the Hells Angels, started hanging out at the gym where he worked out. Moar was drawn into the gang culture, drinking heavily, doing drugs, and even packing a gun. His fading boxing stardom came to an abrupt end when he was arrested on December 12, 1990 for the shooting of a rival gang member outside his home in Winnipeg. The bullet bounced off the metal of the car, just grazing a 15 yr. old gang member in the ear.
With two prior convictions for assault and theft, the court gave Moar a mandatory four year sentence at the medium-security Stoney Mountain Institution in Winnipeg. “I felt like my life was over,” he recalled in a 2007 interview with Richmond News. “I was so depressed, I did nothing… it was horrible. I’d wake up every morning and couldn’t believe I was in jail.” While in jail, Moar went from a svelte 168 lbs to a massive 250 lbs. Then some of his former gang buddies tried to implicate Moar on new charges. Though the charges didn’t stick, he was placed in solitary confinement for his own protection for 27 months.
Seven months into his sentence, Moar’s younger brother Michael, who was with him the night of the shooting, died of leukemia on July 1, 2001. It was a major turning point in Junior’s life and career that invoked some serious soul-searching. “I honestly prayed to God to give me another chance, and if he did, I would resurrect my boxing career,” said Moar. Soon after his release, Moar moved to the west coast with his fiancee to get away from the gang lifestyle.
One of his greatest moments as a professional boxer came when he first became Canada’s new light heavyweight champion when he defeated Abdullah Ramadan, 40, of Toronto, in the sixth round at the River Rock Casino in Richmond on June 19, 2009. In attendance was his ailing father Ralph Sr., who had recently suffered a heart attack at the time. Though Ramadan was disqualified for low blows in the sixth, Moar took the victory in stride. “It’s not the way I wanted to win the belt, but a win’s a win,” said Moar. Stepping out of the ring, Moar hugged his father, saying, “This one’s for you Dad.”
Moar calls himself “The Real Deal” after his favourite boxer five-time world heavy weight champion Evander Holyfield and recently realized a life-long dream meeting another of his childhood heroes, Canada’s greatest heavyweight George Chuvalo. These days, Moar works out six hours a day at the Burnaby Boxing Club and spends his free time as a role model for disadvantaged Aboriginal teens in the downtown eastside of Vancouver.
On November 28th, Moar will fly to Los Angles to sign a deal with Goldenboy Promotions, the world’s leading boxing promotion organization, to advance his boxing career on the international stage. “I might be world champion before I’m done,” said Moar. “I have about a year to go [in pro boxing] before I’m done.”
A passion for rugby and tensile steel toughness has taken a Nuu-chah-nulth man from the rugby fields in Victoria, British Columbia to playing professionally in Europe. Phil Mack (age 27) is a member of the Toquaht First Nation located on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Mack signed a professional contract to play the position of scrum half for the Ospreys of Swansea, Wales.
The Ospreys play in RaboDirect Pro 12, home to many of the world’s best rugby clubs and top players. “This is the first time I have been looked at or been in search of a professional job,” said Mack from Wales. “I’m extremely excited that it turned out to be the Ospreys given the caliber of play. It is a proud moment and I’m going to work hard.”
Similar to American football but minus the helmet and pads, rugby is played between two teams. The teams try to score points by moving a ball past the opposing team’s goal line or by kicking the ball through a pair of uprights on the opponent’s goal line. Players can run with the ball, kick it or pass it backward or sideways to a teammate. Rugby is played with either 15 or seven players a side.
Mack is one of three siblings and grew up in Victoria, BC. His late father Sid was Nuu-chah-nulth and his mother Janine is Lebanese. Mack started playing rugby at age 16 as a student at Oak Bay High School in Victoria, where he was a stand out scrum half. He played for the University of Victoria after graduating from high school.
In four years with UVIC, Mack played nationally and internationally for Canada played 19 times—14 of them capped. In rugby, being capped is a designation reserved for players who have competed in a high number of international matches. Mack is a former captain of the National Sevens team and has played in both the Pacific Nations Cup and the Rugby World Cup qualifiers.
“Rugby has taken me all over the world, and I have played in each continent,” Mack said. He’s been a member of Canada’s national team since 2007, and he was part of a gold medal team in the Pan American Games in 2012.
“Phil was a very exciting player for us. He won us many games on individual effort,” said UVIC head coach Doug Tate. “He’s a very talented offensive and defensive player. He plays at 100 miles per-hour and with a lot of passion.”
Other Aboriginals have also played top flight rugby. “Bob Ross and Rod Snow played at the senior level,” Mack said. Ross is a former Canadian National rugby player who earned 58 caps for Canada and was named captain twice. Snow played the prop position and earned 62 caps for Canada from 1995 to 2007. He also played professionally for Barbarian FC in England and for the Dragons in Newport, South Wales.
Mack says rugby teaches intangible skills that transcend the game. “It teaches you respect, commitment, and how to work for what you want,” he said. “I would encourage as many Aboriginal youngsters to pick the game up.” Those youngsters may not have to look far or wait long to learn the game because Mack is percolating the idea of an Aboriginal sevens rugby team when he returns from Wales.
