logo
Land & Sea: It doesn't get more tight-knit than this 'boot hockey' tournament in Isle aux Morts

Land & Sea: It doesn't get more tight-knit than this 'boot hockey' tournament in Isle aux Morts

CBC22-03-2025

This year marked the 10th annual Isle aux Morts Winter Classic. (Paul Pickett/CBC)
The streets of Isle aux Morts, on Newfoundland's southwest coast, are quiet in winter.
The town has lost a lot of life since the 1980s, when the fishery thrived and the population was about 1,200. Now, half that number call Isle aux Morts home.
The fish plant closed in 1995. The school is down to 17 children, and there's only one fisherman working on the water.
It's quiet, but there's still lots of energy in this tiny place — and every year, during a few days in February, there's also a deep expression of love, not just for St. Valentine, but for the community and a great Canadian game: hockey.
This year marked the 10th annual Isle Aux Morts Winter Classic, spearheaded by Vic Lawrence, who founded the event.
"Last year I think we had 12 men's teams and six women's teams. We play for 10 minutes, that's it, game over. We have a schedule made up," said Lawrence.
February isn't the easiest time to travel, but the draw is irresistible for homesick, hockey-loving Isle aux Morters.
Pond hockey has been played on Lorrie's Pond in Isle aux Morts for generations. This photo is from the 1960s. (Submitted)
"People come back from everywhere: St. John's, Halifax, New Brunswick, Ontario. We have guys from Alberta," said Lawrence.
Steve LeFrense grew up in Isle aux Morts and lives 15 minutes away in Port aux Basques.
He says the event always brings excitement and raises spirits in the community.
"I love everybody coming home and seeing lots of family and friends and people that you haven't seen in a while. Everybody's together for a full weekend. So we play hockey together, we eat together, then we're all at the bar together," said LeFrense.
There, they relive old times and childhood memories from simpler days.
"Everybody knows everybody and it's a really tight community," he says. "Growing up here ... I mean, we didn't have the technology things like kids have today. So our [time] was spent outside."
A lot of winter fun in Isle aux Morts has always taken place on Lorrie's pond, where locals have gathered on the ice for generations to play pond hockey.
"We'd stay there all day long on the weekends and as soon as we got out of school, we were back there again. We'd build the wooden nets and we'd go to our buddy's father's stage and cover it and we used them all winter. There were days it wasn't fit to be down there, but we were still there," said Lawrence.
WATCH | Check out the full episode of Land & Sea:
Lawrence recalls that some of the kids who'd play would have skates and some wouldn't. To make sure they could have as many people on the hockey teams as possible, they all agreed to play in their winter boots.
Boot hockey, as they call it, is the game they play at the Isle aux Morts Winter Classic.
"The first year there were 36 of us. And every year it's going bigger and bigger. Last year we had 150. This year, it looks like we're going to have more, probably 170," said Lawrence.
The first several years the Classic was held right on Lorrie's pond.
But in recent years the ice became unpredictable, so the event moved to a space that used to be the marine centre.
When men like Vic Lawrence and Steve LeFrense were young boys, that space would have been filled with fishing boats all winter long. Now, there are none.
And that's one of the reasons the Winter Classic means so much to the community: along with boosting spirits, it provides a financial injection into a dying town.
All hands are deck for the annual winter classic. (Isle aux Morts/Facebook)
All year long, in the lead-up to the weekend of pond hockey, Lawrence organizes online hockey pools. All the money raised goes back into the community.
Over the past decade, the local Anglican church has scored a huge blessing: donations totalling some $30,000 to help with operating expenses.
The community centre gets an annual cheque from the Winter Classic, and so does the Isle aux Morts Fifty Plus Club.
Doreen Billard, club president, says the winter event has become an important gathering, both socially and economically.
"The town comes alive. This weekend, wherever you go, she's full," Billard said. "We look forward to preparing for it because we know we're going to see people we haven't seen since last year."
Freeman Walters moved away from Isle aux Morts in 1966 to find work in Nova Scotia.
He hasn't missed one Winter Classic.
In fact, he gets so excited to come home in February each year, there are nights he can't sleep.
"There's nothing like seeing your family and all your friends and the people that you grew up with," Walters says.
"Your heart and your brain is still in Newfoundland, regardless where you go."
Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Jonathan David's artistry whetting the appetite of Canadian soccer fans a year out from 2026 World Cup
Jonathan David's artistry whetting the appetite of Canadian soccer fans a year out from 2026 World Cup

CBC

timean hour ago

  • CBC

Jonathan David's artistry whetting the appetite of Canadian soccer fans a year out from 2026 World Cup

Top strikers are architects. They are builders and engineers. They see an empty space, and they imagine the most beautiful way to fill it. They see possibility, and they turn it into something true. Jonathan David is the greatest striker in the history of the Canadian men's program. He's 25 years old, and he's scored more goals than anyone who has come before him. In Saturday's emphatic win over Ukraine in Toronto, he scored two more, the 33rd and 34th of his national-team career. The first was workmanlike, an object of his desire and efficiency: right place, right time. The second was a masterpiece, a product of his artistry. On Sunday, David, at the start of the most critical year of his professional life, sat down for an exclusive interview with CBC at the team's downtown hotel. He isn't a towering physical specimen, a monster masquerading as a man. He's quiet and contained. When so many of the world's best strikers are characters, the flamboyant giants of the game, he's almost remarkably unremarkable. "I'm a calm guy," he said. "I don't really go out that much. I prefer to stay in my room, just relaxing." WATCH | Jonathan David scores twice, Canada downs Ukraine at Canadian Shield: Jonathan David scores twice, Canada downs Ukraine at Canadian Shield 2 days ago Duration 2:32 That was before he was asked about his gorgeous goal, and he talked about what it takes to make something beautiful. David's vision is his gift, the reason he will join a top European side this summer after five years at Lille of France's Ligue 1. Saturday's demonstration will only improve his prospects. The thought of it made him shine. "This one was…" He didn't finish his sentence. He stopped to smile, and then he went back to the beginning, with Tajon Buchanan outside the 18-yard box, looking to curl in a cross. "I don't know exactly where Tajon is going to get the ball," he said in the present tense, the way so many athletes do when they remember their finest moments. "I'm just running into an area where maybe he's going to land it." David knows that every monument has its foundation, which in his case means cutting in front of his defender. He did that, too. He used his experience and discipline to set himself up for a chance, ten yards in front of the Ukrainian goal. He also took note of the goalkeeper's position, shading a little to David's right. David's decision to aim left was less a thought than an instantaneous calculation. "It's almost instinct," he said. " This is where I have to put it." The hardest part of the process came next. He knew what he wanted to do. Now he had to do it. The same is true for his ascendant Canadian side, for everyone involved in making next summer's World Cup something glorious, something singular. For the first time, Canada, along with the U.S. and Mexico, will co-host the biggest sporting event on Earth. It's a massive undertaking, with every kind of potential, and every possible outcome. BMO Field, the stage for David's latest heroics, is a construction site, with a construction site's rough assembly of ambition and nerves. Exactly a year before Canada's men kick off their World Cup campaign on the same field, two of four new videoboards are up. Gates are under renovation. The space for 17,000 additional seats has been cleared but none of them are in place. The dream is half-built. It will, in soccer and in life, come down to the finish. David ducked under Buchanan's perfect delivery, and the ball glanced off the top of his head. In different circumstances, that touch might have been a mistake — a soft effort, an imperfect collision. But David meant to do what he did. "The intention was to put it on that side," he said. The ball floated toward the top corner, inches inside the post. He turned to watch its flight. The goalkeeper, rooted to his spot, watched it with him. David hadn't needed to do anything dramatic. It was enough that he did the unexpected. The goal that, a half-second before, had been something only he could see, now belonged to every Canadian soccer fan, as if a promise he'd made to himself had become a prophecy for the rest of us. Jonathan David returned to his first thought and finished his sentence.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and OKC Thunder recalibrated and have Pacers in trouble
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and OKC Thunder recalibrated and have Pacers in trouble

Toronto Sun

time2 hours ago

  • Toronto Sun

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and OKC Thunder recalibrated and have Pacers in trouble

More calculating, more efficient, the MVP took what he wanted in Game 2. Get the latest from Ryan Wolstat straight to your inbox Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shoots against Indiana Pacers guard Ben Sheppard during Game 2 of the NBA Finals. AP Photo Maybe this won't be much of a series after all. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account That was the initial thought after Oklahoma City mauled the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, making up for a stunning Game 1 loss in the NBA Finals. This Thunder team is a juggernaut (you don't win 68 games easily) and the team looked much more like its usual self in tying things up. Some takeaways from Game 2: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander never really looks uncomfortable — his cool, calm demeanour is part of his unflappable package — but like his teammates, he wasn't quite himself in Game 1. He forced some shots (30 in all, just the sixth time in his career he has attempted at least 30, including two in these playoffs) and seemed to be recalibrating to how Indiana was keying on him. Well, mission accomplished. Sunday was vintage Gilgeous-Alexander, as the Canadian guard dominated. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He looked to facilitate a lot more and attacked, with 12 of his 21 attempts coming in the paint, but was probing with more of a purpose than in the previous game. He actually drove more in Game 1, but had more turnovers and fewer assists and shot a lower percentage. This time, Gilgeous-Alexander generated 12 trips to the free-throw line and six of his eight assists were on three-point makes, with three of the assists coming off drives. Nobody can stop Gilgeous-Alexander from driving, he's the best in the NBA at it for a reason, but when he also knows what's coming and does exactly what he wants to — which happened far more often Sunday than in the opener — it makes Oklahoma City extremely tough to handle. STICKING WITH IT Thunder coach Mark Daigneault had thrown a curve ball ahead of Game 1 by going small. Out was centre Isaiah Hartenstein, who had started 53 of 57 regular-season appearances and all 16 in the playoffs until then, and in was guard Cason Wallace. The move was made even though the previous lineup had gone 12-4 in the playoffs and 9-4 in the regular season. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The old adage might be 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it,' but Daigneault tinkered anyway. It didn't pay immediate dividends (Chet Holmgren, who had spent about 40% of the time at power forward, became the lone big man on the floor and struggled mightily, shooting 2-for-9 for six points, Wallace went 3-for-9) and defensively they couldn't keep the Pacers in check. But the Thunder stuck with the move Sunday (perhaps because they had been 6-0 with this group during the year) and Holmgren, the team's third-best player, who had been all but invisible to start the series (one basket after an early layup), broke out. Holmgren again got an early bucket (a layup after missing a first attempt and grabbing his own rebound), and he looked a lot more involved. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More The stretch big man was the main reason the Thunder led by six after a quarter and he had another strong stretch in the second when the game got broken open with a block, dunk and assist setting up a three-pointer. Holmgren was pretty quiet the rest of the way, but he'd made his impact. Meanwhile, Hartenstein was great off the bench (even if his stats didn't indicate that), the reserves dominated Indiana (Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins each had more points than any Indiana player), and the smaller, quicker first group was disruptive. STATS PACK In picking our favourite stats from Game 2, a common theme emerged — Gilgeous-Alexander's season for the ages just keeps on going: This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Gilgeous-Alexander eclipsed Allen Iverson for most points by a player through his first two Finals games. Gilgeous-Alexander eclipsed Allen Iverson for most points by a player through his first two Finals games. He tied Michael Jordan and LeBron James with 11 games in one playoffs with at least 30 points and five assists. He tied Michael Jordan and LeBron James with 11 games in one playoffs with at least 30 points and five assists. The Thunder has still only lost two straight games twice all year, not once in the playoffs. The Thunder has still only lost two straight games twice all year, not once in the playoffs. Indiana's the first team without a 20-point scorer through two games since Miami in 2013. Indiana's the first team without a 20-point scorer through two games since Miami in 2013. OKC's 33 free-throw attempts were the third-most by a team in a Finals game since 2016. OKC's 33 free-throw attempts were the third-most by a team in a Finals game since 2016. And one for Caruso, the elite defensive guard who isn't known for his scoring. Caruso's 20 points tied his playoff high (also done against Denver) and most amazingly, he only has scored at least 20 five times in 417 career regular-season games. @WolstatSun World Sunshine Girls Golf Canada Editorial Cartoons

The CFL is built on traditions. The new commissioner must figure out what to keep
The CFL is built on traditions. The new commissioner must figure out what to keep

Toronto Star

time3 hours ago

  • Toronto Star

The CFL is built on traditions. The new commissioner must figure out what to keep

The Canadian Football League is back, and in a world that is spinning too fast there is a comfort in that for some. Culturally, the CFL can be the sports equivalent of a classic rock station: It keeps delivering most of the same standards, to most of the same crowd. The league stretches back into Canadian history; it's the future that's often a question. Stewart Johnston is still settling into the big chair as the 15th commissioner in league history, despite being the most qualified commish, probably, since Jake Gaudaur was in the position from 1968 to 1984. Johnston was president of TSN, the league's most important partner, and has been a CFL fan from childhood. He's psyched. Opinion articles are based on the author's interpretations and judgments of facts, data and events. More details

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store