Game On Magazine: First Nations Player Finds Second Family on Ice

Story written by Scott Taylor for the December issue of Game On Magazine.  Link to story: http://mytoba.ca/sports/first-nations-player-finds-second-family-on-the-ice/

Howard Grieves Jr. has spent many of his winters away from his family in Oxford House. For a young man who just loves to play hockey, there just wasn’t enough on his home First Nation.

These days, as he pulls on his North Winnipeg Satellites jersey, the young member of the Bunibonibee Cree Nation knows that while he’ll always be drawn back to family in Oxford House, he also has “a family,” in Winnipeg.

“No doubt about it, these guys are my Winnipeg family,” said the 19-year-old Grieves. “I don’t have a driver’s licence, so they pick me up at my apartment and drive me to all our practices and all our games. The guys on this team are the best friends I have. Because I can only see my family back home at Christmas and in the summer, these serve as my Winnipeg family. I’m really lucky.”

Howard Grieves loves the game of hockey, but that’s not why he’s in Winnipeg. Here’s the Readers Digest version of Grieves’ road from Oxford House in northern Manitoba to the North Winnipeg Satellites of the Keystone Junior B Hockey League:

“I’ve had to go away for hockey ever since I was 14,” Grieves said. “There is no artificial ice in Oxford House so we only get about three months of outdoor hockey. In order to play organized hockey, I had to move to Norway House. I played bantam and midget when I was 14 and 15 in Norway House and then went and played some midget in Thompson and then played triple A midget with Parkland when I was 17. I played for Terrence Lacquette. What a great guy and a great coach, too. I also played a few games for Ste. Rose that year, as well.

“So last year, I decided to go to school in Winnipeg. I’m taking Aboriginal Self-Government Administration at Red River College, but I wanted to play hockey, too. Trouble was, I didn’t even know anybody. I didn’t where to go. So my dad, back home, was checking out the Internet and he sent me an email and said that he’d found the Satellites online and said they were having a tryout the next night.

“So I went and tried out. They asked me to come back and skate for them again and I did and they signed me after just a couple of skates. I’m happy I made the team and this is my second year. I just really enjoy it. I’m the only aboriginal kid on the team and the guys treat me like they’ve known me all their lives. I love this team.”

It’s hard not to love this team. From coach Taylor Lemon through all the players to the stick boy, Grieves has not only been embraced, but has become a big part of a first-place club. A 6-foot-1, 200-pound hard-nosed defenceman, Grieves has speed and skill on the back end and a level of toughness that any junior B team needs. He looks out for his teammates and they return the favour.

“Howard is a big part of the team, but he’s also one of the hardest-working and I’d say (most) courageous young men I’ve met,” said Lemon. “He came to Winnipeg from Oxford House on his own, lives by himself in an apartment, came out for the team on his own and made it on his speed, skill and dedication. The guys love him. This team is very close with great chemistry and Howard’s a big part of that.”

This year’s Satellites are cruising along at 10-1-0 and lead the Keystone Junior B Hockey League by three points over the perennially strong Arborg Ice Dawgs. In a 5-4 win over Lundar last week, Grieves dropped the gloves with Lundar’s Brandon Worthington. He also had an assist and was one of the best players on the ice.

“I love the Satellites for a lot of reasons,” he said. “We have a really, really close team. We have great coaching and the management treats me like one of their own kids.

“I know that if I hadn’t started playing hockey with this team, I wouldn’t have lasted in Winnipeg. Being on this team motivates me to do everything, to get up in the morning and go to class and study hard and do well in school because I know the guys depend on me. I have really supportive parents, but they’re up north. I’m here alone, but I love hockey so much, I get excited on the days we just have practice. This team is my family here in Winnipeg.”