Indigenous lacrosse team to feature Anishinabek coach and two sons

By Sam Laskaris

MERRITT, B.C. – An Anishinabek lacrosse coach and his two sons will be among those hoping to help an Indigenous squad capture some hardware at a provincial competition in British Columbia.

Wayne Kaboni, a member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, will serve as the head coach of the Team Indigenous box lacrosse squad that will participate at the BC Summer Games.

The club will include Kaboni’s sons Clinton and Connor, who like their mother, are members of Nipissing First Nation.

Kaboni left Ontario in 2014 and moved with his two sons to the west coast. The three now live in Merritt, B.C.

The BC Summer Games are held every two years. This year’s Games, scheduled for July 19-22, will be staged in Duncan, B.C.

About 3,700 athletes are expected to compete in 18 different sports at the Games.

Traditionally, participants in the Games are representing a region within the province. But this marked the first year Indigenous teams have been formed, comprised of athletes from all across British Columbia.

Besides box lacrosse, which features Midget (15 and 16-year-old) players, Indigenous teams have been formed for basketball and canoeing/kayaking competitions.

Wayne Kaboni didn’t actually have to make any cuts for the Team Indigenous roster. Though about 30 players had indicated they would be showing up, only 19 (17 runners and two goalies) showed up for the club’s one-day tryout held this past Sunday in Abbotsford.

All 19 of those attendees were named to the Team Indigenous squad.

“A lot of people thought that just by showing us videos they would be named to the team,” the elder Kaboni said.

But none of the players that didn’t show up were chosen for the club. Kaboni only rewarded those who did attend the tryout.

“I personally like evaluating guys like that,” he said. “I’d like to see them so I can see how they interact with other kids.”

Wayne Kaboni is pleased to see the BC Summer Games including Indigenous squads for some events.

“It’s a first step for a lot of organizations,” he said, adding many sports associations are seeing what they can do as part of the reconciliation process in the country.

Clinton Kaboni, 16, is expected to be one of the Team Indigenous leaders.

“At the tryout I was helping the coaches run the drills,” he said.

The eldest Kaboni son recently returned home from California. This past January, he transferred from his Merritt high school to Sierra Canyon School, a prestigious private school in Chatsworth, a suburb of Los Angeles.

The Grade 10 student was a member of the boys’ Varsity field lacrosse team at Sierra Canyon School.
Seven squads are expected to compete in the box lacrosse event at the BC Summer Games. Clinton Kaboni said he can’t predict how his side will fare.

“I’m not quite sure,” he said. “I don’t know what all the other teams have. But I think we will be okay.”

The brothers have played on various teams together over the years. Clinton Kaboni said he often provides instructions for his brother, both on the floor and on the bench.

“I think he respects my authority,” he said tongue-in-cheek.

Connor Kaboni, who recently turned 15, said he does enjoy playing alongside his brother.

“Sometimes they put us together and we do really well,” he said.

The brothers have not officially been told they will be on the floor at the same time during the BC Summer Games.

“I think we’re going to have some good chemistry,” said Connor Kaboni, who is finishing up his Grade 9 studies at Merritt Secondary School. “I know where he’s going to be on the floor and he knows where I’m going to be. I don’t see why I wouldn’t be with him.”