Windspeaker Sports Briefs - December 2014

Pioneer inducted into Hall of Fame

A former First Nations soccer star has been inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.

Harry Manson was inducted posthumously into the hall of fame via the Pioneer category. Induction ceremonies were held Nov. 9 in Vaughan, Ont. The Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame is housed and operated in Vaughan by the Ontario Soccer Association.

Manson was better known by his First Nations name, Xul-si-malt, which translates into one who leaves his mark. Manson was born in 1879 and was regarded as the best First Nations soccer player in the late 1800s. He made his competitive debut at the age of 18 with the Nanaimo Thistles.

A few years later Manson decided there was enough First Nations soccer talent to form a team that would compete against the best intermediate men’s squads in British Columbia.

Manson was instrumental in fielding the Nanaimo Indian Wanderers. His leadership qualities and on-field presence earned him the captaincy of the team.

The Wanderers made history in 1902 when they became the first Indigenous club to win a B.C. soccer championship.

Manson was the only individual inducted via the Pioneer category into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame this year. The other inductees were three players, two builders, a team of distinction and two organizations of distinction.

Memorial Cup Champ Goes To School

Trey Lewis, who was the captain of the Halifax Mooseheads when they captured the 2013 Memorial Cup, is now playing at the Canadian university level. Lewis, a 21-year-old Mi’kmaq from New Brunswick’s Elsipogtog First Nation, is a rookie defenceman now with the St. Francis Xavier University X-Men.

The university is based in Antigonish, N.S.

After the Mooseheads’ Memorial Cup campaign, Lewis also started last season with the Halifax team. He finished off the year as a member of the Mirimachi Timberwolves, members of the Maritime Junior Hockey League.

Ferland Makes NHL Debut

Halloween night will now forever have extra special memories for Michael Ferland, even though he sustained a concussion on Oct. 31.

That’s because the 22-year-old Metis made his National Hockey League debut that night. Ferland suited up for the Calgary Flames in their home contest against the Nashville Predators.

Though Ferland did not earn a point in his first NHL game, the Flames did end up picking up a victory, registering a 4-3 decision over the Predators. Ferland was injured late in the second period after being hit in the head by Predators’ defenceman Anton Volchenkov. The Nashville blueliner was later suspended for four games for the hit.

Ferland, who was placed on the injured list, had yet to return to action in mid-November. Ferland had been hoping to suit up for the Flames ever since the Calgary franchise selected him in the fifth round, 133rd over-all, in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Ferland, who is from Swan River, Man., is in his second full season as a pro.

After playing three seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Brandon Wheat Kings, he began his professional career at the start of the 2012-13 campaign.

Ferland began the year in the American Hockey League with the Flames’ then top affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat. But after seven contests he was sent down to the Utah Grizzlies, members of the East Coast Hockey League.

Shortly after that, Ferland was returned to the Wheat Kings in the junior ranks. But he didn’t stay long in Brandon (only four games) as he was traded to the Saskatoon Blades.

As for last season, Ferland was once again started off the year in Abbotsford. But after playing 25 games with the Heat he suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Ferland began the current campaign with the Flames’ top affiliate, who relocated to the U.S. and are now in the state of New York and called the Adirondack Flames.

Ferland played nine games with Adirondack before he was called up by Calgary after it ran into some injury woes.

Tournament Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Entrants are being sought for an Aboriginal youth hockey tournament in Manitoba that is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2015.

The 2015 Indigenous Minor Hockey Tournament, organized by the Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council, will be staged from April 10 to April 12.

Squads will be competing in five divisions. They are Squirt (players born in 2009 and ’08), Novice (’07 and ’06), Atom (’05 and ’04), Peewee (’03 and ’02) and Bantam (’01 and 2000).

Games will be held at rinks in Winnipeg, St. Adolphe and Ile-des-Chenes.

For more information contact Marvin Magpantay at melvin.magpantay@sportmanitoba.ca.