Lacrosse team unites community
A single rubber ball has transformed the lives of several families on the Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation.
Five years ago, Russ Matthews joined the teaching staff at Standing Buffalo School and started a novice lacrosse program.
Despite the fact that lacrosse is a traditional First Nations sport, most residents of Standing Buffalo community knew very little about the game.
Fast forward five years and things have changed.
The Standing Buffalo Fighting Sioux lacrosse team has become a beacon of hope for the community of about 500.
“Sometimes I hold up a lacrosse ball and I tell them all that there is in this ball is opportunity,” said Matthews. “This ball will make you stronger. This ball will help you become a better person. It will make your family stronger. It will make your community stronger. And all that opportunity is right here in this ball.”
The team, comprised of boys and girls 12 years of age and under, has taken Matthews’ words to heart and to the field.
This season the team earned the top spot in the pee wee division of the Queen City Minor Box Lacrosse League and was the Saskatchewan Lacrosse Association pee wee champion at the 37th annual Calgary Canada Day lacrosse tournament.
Matthews said the team received top honours at all three tournaments, all within the span of 10 days.
He said without the support and commitment from the community, the team’s successes would not be possible.
“It’s really mom-driven, ”said Matthews. “All single moms.”
Carmen LaSwisse said the game has been a blessing. A lifelong resident of Standing Buffalo, she said before Matthews brought lacrosse to the community she would often hear kids say, “I’m bored.” That is not the case anymore.
“I was there when my son (Sandis) first brought home his lacrosse stick, he didn’t seem too interested in it,” said LaSwisse. “But once he got into it, he loves it.”
She never thought lacrosse would take her son and the other team members so far in such a short time. At the provincial championships Sandis, 12, was voted the most valuable player, an accomplishment that still chokes up the mother of five.
LaSwisse said she can see the sport playing a big role in her son’s future.
“To come from Standing Buffalo, it’s such a small community, there is not much opportunity out there for anything other than what we suggest to our children,” she said. “I am a single mother. I do it all. I have had a rough life and my children have had a rough life. Lacrosse has 360ed us. It has straightened us out.”
Prior to the start of this year’s season, the community was rocked with youth suicide.
“It was really hard to lose so many members,” said LaSwisse. “It was so hard to lose our young men to suicide. These young men could have had futures.”
She said lacrosse has helped bring the community closer together.
“It’s brought a little bit of healing to see our young boys do so well,” said LaSwisse.
It is one of the reasons she works hard to fundraise for the team to ensure that they will continue to have opportunities.
Larissa Yuzicappi, team manager and mom to Fighting Sioux goalie Brandon, says lacrosse has a definite future on Standing Buffalo.
She admits she had no idea about lacrosse and walked out on the first game. But that’s changed.
Yuzicappi has been team manager for the past four years and with two other young sons, she believes her role in the game will not diminish anytime soon.
Like LaSwisse, she had no idea how far the game would take her son, her family and her community.
On Thursday, Brandon will travel to Ontario to compete at the national lacrosse championships. He was selected to be part of Team Saskatchewan — a feat that still amazes the single mom of three.
She’s grateful her son has found something he loves and excels in.
Brandon, 12, said it’s “cool” being recognized around town because he plays lacrosse. He plays the sport because it is fun and he gets to travel.