This is huge: Third annual U18 Indigenous Cup kicks off in Manitoba

Top Indigenous football talent from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario arrived in Winnipeg this week for the U18 Indigenous Cup. On Thursday, the first game kicked off at the St. Vital Mustangs Field in south Winnipeg. Two hours before the first quarter, players from Manitoba lined up to smudge with their teammates. “Manitoba, we’re the king of the Prairies, you know?” defensive back Trenton Bourassa said. “They’re coming to our home, so we’re gonna show up.” It’s the team’s second time competing in the cup, which started as a tournament between Alberta and Saskatchewan. This year, Northwestern Ontario joined the roster. ‘This is huge’ From gear to room and board, Team Manitoba’s head coach, Russell Wallace, said the sport can come with a significant price tag. The Winnipeg Football Club covered travel, uniforms, accommodation and coach certification for Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario. “They’re a big component of why we’re here,” Wallace said. “They do knock down that financial barrier that some of our players do see that can kind of keep them out of football, because football is an expensive sport.” Team Manitoba quarterback Ben Waters is Red River Métis. “We’re really getting more towards Indigenous people in sports,” Waters said. “This is just a huge, good event, put on by huge sponsors: the [Winnipeg Blue] Bombers, all the CFL teams that support us, all our sponsors, this is huge.” Alberta takes 62-7 victory over Northwestern Ontario The first game wrapped up with Alberta defeating Northwestern Ontario 62-7. Shortly after, players from all four teams carried flags from their communities for the grand entry. An honour song and prayer welcomed them onto the field. “It’s a really neat opportunity for us to kind of blend cultural experience with football, which is something we haven’t traditionally done,” Bill Johnson, the executive director of Football Manitoba said. Bourassa, a member of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation in northern Manitoba, said the tournament has brought a sense of unity among the players. “It brings everyone together from all sorts of communities, and we’re all here together, united as one,” he said. Manitoba wins Game 2 In the second game, Manitoba scored a 42-6 victory over Saskatchewan. It’s a win Waters hopes will put the players and the tournament on the map. “These guys are all putting out the hard work every day out here for how many weeks now to try to be the best in the nation,” he said. “Even though there are only four provinces out here, you’re still the best in the nation out of the teams that are here. So I hope…we get recognized, and that people look into Indigenous sports more.” The championship game kicks off Sunday at the St. Vital Mustangs Field, where Alberta will take on Manitoba for the cup. Continue Reading