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Hamilton Spectator
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Basketball players told to put long hair in jerseys, ref facing consequences
An amateur basketball referee has been ordered to forfeit jobs, apologize and take a course on Indigenous culture after asking First Nation boys to tuck in their braids. A minor league game at St. John's High School in Winnipeg's North End ended with tears and frustration for some of the young athletes and family members who were in the stands last Saturday. Sheena Johnston said her 11-year-old was one of three players on a Central Storm basketball team who was told they had to put their long hair inside their jerseys. When her son protested, saying his braid — a nod to his Cree and Ojibwa ancestry — could come loose while he was running, the referee told him to 'figure it out,' she said. 'His self-esteem went low. His hair is his pride and joy,' the mother said, adding she was shocked and angered by the referee's disregard for the cultural symbol. Johnston, who has four children, had never heard of such a request in all of the years she has spent watching her children play recreational sports — including hockey, soccer and volleyball — with braids. Concerns raised by her and other parents prompted a coach to flag the events, including the referee's decision to grab a player who challenged a call on the court, to the league. 'Sports need to be safe places for our young people, where they are not teased about their hair or their choices to share their cultural pride. It's not OK,' said Cheryl James, a mother of a 12-year-old on the boys basketball team. James had to miss the game due to another commitment. She said she was disappointed to learn later on that there had been so many adult bystanders in the gymnasium. The Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council, which runs inner-city recreation programs, has condemned the referee's actions. Co-ordinator Quinton Denechezhe told families immediate steps are being taken to promote inclusivity, protect athletes and address 'the obvious miseducation and inappropriate conduct.' 'There are no rules requiring players to tuck in their braids or long hair, and such a decision is always the discretion of the player,' Denechezhe wrote in a memo Thursday. The email states the referee assignor for the Winnipeg Minor Basketball Association has confirmed the individual in question will forfeit upcoming assignments and issue a written apology. 'The referee will take an education course on Indigenous culture to better understand and respect the cultural practices and traditions of our players,' Denechezhe said, noting he is requesting the individual register in MASRC's 'aboriginal coaching module.' Johnston said she prides herself on braiding her children's hair every morning — a routine during which she gives each child positive affirmations and prays with them. Her boys wanted to grow their hair out after finding out about what happened at residential schools and learning that the braid connects a person to Mother Earth, because it points towards the ground. Indigenous children's braids were chopped off when they arrived at residential schools, an element of the government and church-run institutions' mission to strip their cultural identities. Johnston said her family wants last weekend's events to serve as a learning opportunity for all referees, coaches and athletes. 'We can all learn from this.… Our men and our leaders and our chiefs have always had long hair, and it is just part of who we are as First Nations,' she said. Referee assignor Reid Kenyon echoed those comments in an email. 'Our focus is on ensuring this becomes a learning opportunity for all, as we remain committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment within the game of basketball,' said Kenyon, president of the Manitoba Association of Basketball Officials. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
31-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Basketball players told to put long hair in jerseys, ref facing consequences
AN amateur basketball referee has been ordered to forfeit jobs, apologize and take a course on Indigenous culture after asking First Nation boys to tuck in their braids. A minor league game at St. John's High School in Winnipeg's North End ended with tears and frustration for some of the young athletes and family members who were in the stands last Saturday. Sheena Johnston said her 11-year-old was one of three players on a Central Storm basketball team who was told they had to put their long hair inside their jerseys. When her son protested, saying his braid — a nod to his Cree and Ojibwa ancestry — could come loose while he was running, the referee told him to 'figure it out,' she said. 'His self-esteem went low. His hair is his pride and joy,' the mother said, adding she was shocked and angered by the referee's disregard for the cultural symbol. Johnston, who has four children, had never heard of such a request in all of the years she has spent watching her children play recreational sports — including hockey, soccer and volleyball — with braids. Concerns raised by her and other parents prompted a coach to flag the events, including the referee's decision to grab a player who challenged a call on the court, to the league. 'Sports need to be safe places for our young people, where they are not teased about their hair or their choices to share their cultural pride. It's not OK,' said Cheryl James, a mother of a 12-year-old on the boys basketball team. James had to miss the game due to another commitment. She said she was disappointed to learn later on that there had been so many adult bystanders in the gymnasium. The Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council, which runs inner-city recreation programs, has condemned the referee's actions. Co-ordinator Quinton Denechezhe told families immediate steps are being taken to promote inclusivity, protect athletes and address 'the obvious miseducation and inappropriate conduct.' 'There are no rules requiring players to tuck in their braids or long hair, and such a decision is always the discretion of the player,' Denechezhe wrote in a memo Thursday. The email states the referee assignor for the Winnipeg Minor Basketball Association has confirmed the individual in question will forfeit upcoming assignments and issue a written apology. 'The referee will take an education course on Indigenous culture to better understand and respect the cultural practices and traditions of our players,' Denechezhe said, noting he is requesting the individual register in MASRC's 'aboriginal coaching module.' Johnston said she prides herself on braiding her children's hair every morning — a routine during which she gives each child positive affirmations and prays with them. Her boys wanted to grow their hair out after finding out about what happened at residential schools and learning that the braid connects a person to Mother Earth, because it points towards the ground. Indigenous children's braids were chopped off when they arrived at residential schools, an element of the government and church-run institutions' mission to strip their cultural identities. Johnston said her family wants last weekend's events to serve as a learning opportunity for all referees, coaches and athletes. 'We can all learn from this.… Our men and our leaders and our chiefs have always had long hair, and it is just part of who we are as First Nations,' she said. Referee assignor Reid Kenyon echoed those comments in an email. 'Our focus is on ensuring this becomes a learning opportunity for all, as we remain committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment within the game of basketball,' said Kenyon, president of the Manitoba Association of Basketball Officials. Maggie MacintoshEducation reporter Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she first reported for the Free Press in 2017. Read more about Maggie. Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative. Every piece of reporting Maggie produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
02-05-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Triumph and tragedy
Dora Paul was just 16 years old and a high school junior when news of Germany's unconditional surrender reached St. John's High School in the city's North End neighbourhood 80 years ago this week. Amid the cheers of classmates, her heart was heavy. Victory in Europe could not erase the profound loss her family had endured. 'My older brother, Lavey Paul, had been killed on May 25, 1944, while serving in Italy (with the British Columbia Dragoons RCAC),' says Dora (who later married Harry Rosenbaum). 'He was my hero. He was the breadwinner for our family after my father left the picture. By that time, my sister was living away from home.' MARTIN ZEILIG PHOTO Dora Rosenbaum shows off the commemorative plaque made in honour of her brother, Trooper Lavey Paul, who was killed in action in May 1944. Trooper Lavey Paul was the son of Rubin and Ida Paul of Winnipeg. According to the Second World War Book of Remembrance, he was 21 when he died with the 9th Canadian Armoured Regiment. As others rejoiced upon hearing the news of Victory in Europe, Rosenbaum couldn't hold back tears as she walked home from school. Her mother, too, was overcome with emotion. The Paul family had already paid the ultimate price for this long-awaited victory, and the pain of Lavey's absence overshadowed the day's triumph. Across the city, Winnipeg had transformed into a jubilant hub of celebration. Flags from the Allied nations adorned buildings and people thronged the streets, waving and cheering. Yet, the war's shadow lingered. While the surrender of Germany marked a monumental victory, the battle in the Pacific theatre continued. Prime Minister Mackenzie King reminded Canadians of the ongoing struggle against Japan in his broadcast address. 'The war was not over for the Winnipeg Grenadiers, who had been captured during the defence of Hong Kong in 1941 and were still prisoners of war in Japan,' says Gord Crossley, Heritage Officer at 17 Wing Winnipeg. Thoughts of these men weighed heavily on the minds of Winnipeggers as they commemorated VE-Day. Along with reports and photographs of the celebrations, the Free Press also included solemn reports on its pages: 16 Manitobans Are Included In 2 Army Casualty Lists. Another inside-page headline stated: Winnipeggers Throng to Church Services — Deep Humility Marks Worship. For Dora Rosenbaum, the journey of remembrance would continue decades later. In 1997, accompanied by the Canadian Legion, she visited Monte Cassino in Italy, where her brother was buried. This pilgrimage fulfilled a promise her late husband, Harry — a Second World War veteran — had made to her. Standing at her brother's grave in the Commonwealth Cassino War Cemetery was a deeply moving experience, reconnecting her with the sacrifices her family had made during those tumultuous years. 'Harry and another Jewish man said Kaddish (the Jewish mourner's prayer) at Lavey's grave,' Dora, a retired Winnipeg School Board office employee, recalls. 'They also did it at every other cemetery we stopped at. The rest of the men on the tour looked for the Mogen Dovid (Star of David) at all the other cemeteries for the two of them to say Kaddish. What a wonderful thing that was. I think only Canadian veterans would do this.' Meanwhile, as VE-Day celebrations echoed in Winnipeg, soldiers who had returned home and those in the Royal Canadian Air Force joined in the revelry. Many of these airmen had been placed on reserve, their services no longer required in Europe but held in readiness for the Pacific War. Wearing their uniforms with pride, they became symbols of both sacrifice and hope. This writer's own father, Morrey I. Zeilig, who was a signalman during the war and served in Canada, Britain and northwest Europe, received his honourable discharge on Feb. 2, 1946, having enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces on Aug. 5, 1942. SUPPLIED Morrey I. Zeilig served as a signalman during the Second World War. 'The nightly drone of bombers is a music which only inflames the desire of the anguished but heroic people of Europe to hear the full symphony of freedom,' Morrey wrote in an April 1944 letter to a sibling living in the U.S. 'I am proud that I will be a member of the greatest orchestra of all time.' It would be three more months — after the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki — until Japanese leaders surrendered on Aug. 15, 1945. It set off another wave of celebration to Winnipeg. Sent weekly from the heart of Turtle Island, an exploration of Indigenous voices, perspectives and experiences. The end of the war brought changes in employment and social structure in Winnipeg. 'Soldiers returned to rebuild their lives, aided by a point system that determined their discharge and return home,' Crossley explains. 'Factors such as family responsibilities, civilian occupations and length of service played a role in deciding who came home first.' In the Netherlands, Canadian troops, including Winnipeg's own Fort Garry Horse, Royal Winnipeg Rifles and Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, contributed to rebuilding towns, leaving a lasting legacy, Crossley says. This sense of duty and commitment to rebuilding resonated throughout the post-war years, shaping the character of those who had served and the communities to which they returned. The memory of VE-Day and VJ-Day remains alive in Winnipeg's history. For individuals like Dora Rosenbaum, the days are a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, the enduring impact of loss and the collective joy of a nation emerging from the darkness of war. Martin Zeilig is a Winnipeg writer.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2024-25 Central Mass High School Sports Awards: See all winter player of the year nominees
2024-25 Central Mass High School Sports Awards: See all winter player of the year nominees The Central Mass High School Sports Awards are part of the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards program. The 2024-25 Central Mass High School Sports Awards program is proud to announce player of the year nominees for the winter sports season. The winners will be announced during the live show June 25 at the DCU Center in Worcester. We'll announce our celebrity guest soon. The show is produced with the support of Lundgren Honda of Auburn. Advertisement During the live show, these nominees will be honored, along with player of the year nominees and winners from the fall and spring sports seasons. The fall nominees have already been announced and can be found here. The show will also announce the winners of our premier awards, which includes boys athlete of the year, girls athlete of the year, boys team of the year, girls team of the year, coach of the year and our Courage Award recipient. Nominated athletes who RSVP for the event here will receive a free ticket thanks to our sponsors. Additional tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here. The Central Mass High School Sports Awards show is part of the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards. Advertisement Here are the winter nominees … Boys basketball – Presented by Whitin Community Center Nick Barnes, St. John's High School Jack Christopher, Shrewsbury High School Jimmer Donnelly, Millbury High School Jayden Johnson, Leominster High School Davis Lunn, Clinton High School Patrick Madden, Hopedale High School Justin McCaffrey, Westborough High School James McKinney, Nipmuc High School Cheyton Marshall, Burncoat High School Zach Romich, Groton-Dunstable Regional High School Jayden Rubio, David Prouty High School Jamel Walker, Doherty High School Girls basketball – Presented by Whitin Community Center Bryan Bascones, South High School Phoebe Carroll, Hopedale High School Calleigh Currier, Maynard High School Molly Gahan, Northbridge High School Sophie Gibbons, Wachusett Regional High School Anna Lagarde, Nashoba Regional High School Teegan Lanpher, Wachusett Regional High School Amalya LeBlanc, Oakmont Regional High School Addison Pong, Notre Dame Academy Jaelynn Scott, Wachusett Regional High School Tati Vazquez, Gardner High School Alison Welton, Bay Path High School Gymnastics Anjali Burdagunta, Westborough High School Dylan Gaffny, Marlborough High School Emily Kratzer, Marlborough High School Samantha Mahoney, Marlborough High School Lily Robinson, Marlborough High School Lily Taylor, Westborough High School Boys Hockey – Presented by New England Sports Center Brady Chenevert, St. John's High School Landon Connor, Auburn High School Nathan Dono, Auburn High School Joey Fisher, Doherty High School Ethan King, Littleton High School Colin Kreuz, St. Paul Daniel Menyalkin, St. John's High School Owen Nanartowich, Hudson High School Timmy O'Malley, Hudson High School Cody Penniman, Wachusett Regional High School Dom Reidy, St. John's High School Jaxon Sabataso, Shrewsbury High School Girls hockey Adrianna Boucher, Shrewsbury High School Addy Cagan, Algonquin Regional Blaire Fay, Shrewsbury High School Brenna Gendron, Leominster High School Madelyn Glynn, Algonquin Regional Maddy Hemlin, Leominster High School Chloe LeMay, Auburn High School Allie Martel, Shrewsbury High School Lauren O'Malley, Algonquin Regional Rachel Simkewicz, Leominster High School izzy Spencer, Auburn High School Olivia Viens, Auburn High School Boys indoor track Ray Beardmore, Lunenburg High School Sean Blaze, Clinton High School Greyson Duane, Groton-Dunstable Regional High School Darius Gibbons, Shrewsbury High School Anthony Graves, Shepherd Hill Regional High School Jonah Gould, Algonquin Regional Henry Jacobson, Parker School Ari Levine, Hopedale High School Miles Lipka, Algonquin Regional Kyle McLaughlin, Auburn High School Cole New, Ayer-Shirley Regional Derek Shimer, Shrewsbury High School Girls indoor track Rosie Bradley, The Bromfield School LaAnna Draper, Fitchburg High School Emily Flagg, Whitinsville Christian School Arianna Gentile, Algonquin Regional Rahma Giwa, Wachusett Regional High School Savannah Liles, Littleton High School Haley McCormack, Tantasqua Regional High School Meghan McEleney, Groton-Dunstable Regional High School Tanvi Mehta, Algonquin Regional Keoni Savoie, Tantasqua Regional High School Evelyn Wood, The Bromfield School Isabel Zukowski, Auburn High School Boys skiing Lucas Anderson, St. John's High School Scott Cronin, St. John's High School Jack deDiego, The Bromfield School Jackson Fraser, Groton-Dunstable Regional High School Aidan Ghidella, Shrewsbury High School Maddox Lee, St. John's High School Owen Ludden, St. John's High School Cole Maddalone, The Bromfield School Reilly Silva, Algonquin Regional Matthew Sungarian, Shrewsbury High School Nathan White, Westborough High School Owen Wood, The Bromfield School Girls skiing Leona Azare, Nashoba Regional High School Emelia Beauchesne, Algonquin Regional Jillian Bradford, Nashoba Regional High School Lilyanna deDiego, The Bromfield School Cara Leonard, Algonquin Regional Mary Lubin, Wachusett Regional High School Alana Marchetti, Lunenburg High School Phoebe McKenna, Shrewsbury High School Kate Robinson, Wachusett Regional High School Audrey Slavin, The Bromfield School Chloe Sparks, Nashoba Regional High School Nikita Vertil-Kant, Shrewsbury High School Boys swimming and diving Braedon Ando, Grafton High School Aryaman Jain, Westborough High School George Lam, Grafton High School Alex Olson, Gardner High School Jacob Pervier, Gardner High School Vance Petrossi, The Bromfield School Adam Picard, St. John's High School Maxwell Qi, Algonquin Regional Bracan Shea, Grafton High School Simon Turcotte, Grafton High School Bryan Zhang, Westborough High School Ethan Zhu, Tantasqua Regional High School Girls swimming and diving Mina Chung, Algonquin Regional Georgia Davis, Grafton High School Isabelle Dumas, Gardner High School Abbey Korenda, Tantasqua Regional High School Laila Kvarcein, Shrewsbury High School Eilana Laham, The Bromfield School Julia McMahon, Wachusett Regional High School Elise Moury, Grafton High School Ella Reeves, Gardner High School Avery Rogers, Advanced Math and Science Academy Marissa Pedorella, Grafton High School Elizabeth Walsh, Algonquin Regional Boys wrestling Sawyer Ayotte, Shepherd Hill Regional High School Matthew Batista, Worcester Technical High School Beckham Cabrera, Marlborough High School Taetum Cassella, Nashoba Regional High School Cody Coonrod, Northbridge High School Connor Cox, Nashoba Regional High School Daniel de Almeida, Nashoba Regional High School Matthew Dudley, Northbridge High School Dan Greaney, Leominster High School Troy Greaney, Leominster High School Isaac Silva, Marlborough High School Cooper Wiebe, Monty Tech Regional Vocational High School This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: 2024-25 Central Mass High School Sports Awards: See all winter nominees
