LSHOF inductees banquet to shine light on indigenous athletes

By Lethbridge Herald on April 25, 2023.

Herald File Photo

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame is set to celebrate the 2023 inductees during their banquet next week at the Enmax Centre.

The theme this year is Indigenous Contribution to Sport.

“Every year as a part of the Sports Hall of Fame, part of our mandate is to tell the stories and the history of sports in Lethbridge and so every year we pick a theme to shine a light on an area that deserves a little bit of a deeper dive into it,” said Paul Kingsmith, LSHOF chair.

“And part of the call to action in the Truth and Reconciliation report was calling on sports hall of fames across the country to take a deeper look at the indigenous athletes who may have been ignored or forgotten over generations. And it’s something that we as a board take very seriously and wanted to shine a light on.”

LSHOF has enjoyed talking to Blood Tribe to learn more about the history of sport.

“We also have an incredible inductee, Rufus Goodstriker,  who (has) just lived an incredible life … (with) so many things both in sport and out of sport,” said Kingsmith.

“But I think that what he achieved in sport builds his life lessons that he was able to take away and do amazing things in his life. So to have a local hero like that, that we’re able to induct in this year when that theme is indigenous contributions, is just such a nice tie. And I think that  it’s something (in) that it’s time we made sure that we’re honouring the indigenous athletes that for too long have been overlooked.”

Attendees will get the opportunity to be a part of a unique experience.

“I think that the Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet is a really unique event in that it sort of brings all of these different groups, and communities and generations together to recognize some of the people and teams, and athletes and builders who have really put in place the building blocks of what makes this such a great sports community,” said Kingsmith.

“(And) that it recognizes athletes from here who got their start here and were able to go on and do great things and to compete internationally and do amazing things . But then it also recognizes those that were here in town and helped build organizations and make it so that  there are opportunities for everyone in the community. But youth especially to get involved in sport and to see the benefits of what sport brings to a community. So I think that this banquet is really great for that, to sort of bridge all those gaps and bring everybody all together in a night of celebration.”

Joining Goodstriker  (multisport ) will be Ashley Patzer (rugby), Mitch Ball (baseball), Lanny Tron (track and field, discus/ shot put) and Brian Donaldson (wrestling).

The Kinsmen Sportspersons of the Year are Jinaye Shomachuk ( track and field, weight throw) and Ridly Greig  (hockey) and the Team of the Year is the 1979 Lethbridge Senior Little League All-Stars.

Rodeo star Dougie Hall will be the guest speaker, Marni Hope and Lowell Yellowhorn will be Master of Ceremonies, opening prayer will be from Wilton Goodstriker and the History of Blackfoot Sport in the program is written by Dr. Mike Bruised Head.

The deadline to buy tickets is this Friday and can be purchased at the Enmax Centre website or box office and at the Yates Memorial Theatre box office.

“Probably a little slower than anticipated,” said Kingsmith, on ticket sales.

“Yeah it would be nice to have like  a boost in tickets from where we’re at because we do have some real incredible inductees and I think that  a little bit of people maybe just don’t think about it until it’s right on the doorstep. But we’re kind of on that  doorstep time now.”

The LSHOF banquet is on May 5 at the Enmax Centre’s Western Canadian Bank Lounge beginning at 6 p.m.