New Squamish lacrosse box shows age-old passion for sport
Some call lacrosse a force for connection, inspiration, escape and healing
In X̱wemelch'stn — also called Capilano Reserve — finishing touches are coming along on a project to further the Squamish Nation's sports culture.
With the Lions Gate Bridge in the distance and trains rolling by, a new covered lacrosse box is just months away from its scheduled opening day.
Lacrosse is a big part of Squamish culture, having been played by generations of players, including for noted teams like the North Shore Indians.
"It's such a beautiful game and it's so inspiring, and it's a very old game for Coast Salish, Squamish people," said 68-year-old Xwechtaal — also known as Dennis Joseph — a player for 57 years and a Squamish Nation elder. "It is important for us to keep the spirit going."
With those generations of people separated from their culture, community and even each other by policies like residential schools, some say lacrosse is a force for connection, inspiration, escape and healing.
And as the new box nears opening, there's hope future generations will have a chance to grow in the game in their own community.
Old box closed down
Located a short distance from the Lions Gate Bridge, and a stone's throw from the gym at the Chief Joe Mathias Centre, the new box boasts polished concrete floors encircled with pristine boards and glass panels.
It is a large, open-air structure with a white roof overhead, held up by huge steel pillars.
Nick Guidobono, manager of capital projects for the nation, says there has been no lacrosse box in the Squamish community since an old one — in bad need of repair — was torn down in 2021.
That's left the nation's teams sharing hard-to-come-by space with other groups at places like the Harry Jerome Centre.
"Having a nation owned and run facility within community will give the nation full control of the training and development for its teams in various sports, but especially in lacrosse," Guidobono said.
"So really being able to take back control of the growth of the sport is really what drives the importance of this project."
He says the box is a $7-million project, paid for by the Squamish Nation and federal grants.
'Don't ever let this jersey hit the ground'
Among the first to take the floor at the new box were Xwechtaal and his 20-year-old nephew, Owen Joseph.
Both are lifelong lacrosse players. Both are goalies.
Joseph was recently signed to play Junior A for the Burnaby Lakers. Xwechtaal still breaks out what he calls "trade secrets" playing Grand Masters lacrosse, for players 45 and over.
Both have played for the North Shore Indians, a mostly Squamish team that's been running and gunning in various forms from the early 20th century on. The 1936 club is enshrined in the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame.
"The red colours I'm wearing represent the blood of all of our ancestors. The white represents the creator and the blue represents Mother Earth," said Xwechtaal, pointing out the design on his jersey as he toured the box.
"I learned this from my dad. He said, 'Don't ever let this jersey hit the ground. You always hang it up. You look after it and then I'll look after you.'"
Joseph says he's optimistic the new box will be a big improvement over the falling-apart box he played in and will be good for players and the wider community.
"Just to be able to come down and see all our youth and all our kids coming up and playing in the sport they love and being able just to express themselves in the way we used to down at our box," he said.
'We're still here'
Some in X̱wemelch'stn describe lifelong passions for lacrosse.
For 86-year-old Slawiya — a Squamish Nation elder also known as Angela Jacobs — her love affair with the game began as a toddler
Her Uncle Joe was a member of the North Shore Indians. She remembers one game as a three- or four-year-old when she was running up and down the bleachers as he scored.
"I jumped right off the bench and hurt myself quite bad, but got right up because Uncle Joe was at the window worried about me," Slawiya said.
"I jumped right back up and I was cheering and I was bleeding and everything."
As she explains, lacrosse has been her life. She's played it, helped organize games and is a fan to this day.
"Of course, [at] residential school for seven years, you couldn't go to anything," she added.
Slawiya and her husband, 87-year-old Paítsmuḵ — also known as David Jacobs — are both survivors.
"Eight years, I was locked up," Paítsmuḵ said. He played lacrosse at the school before joining the North Shore Indians
"That's the way it was in residential school — you got it and there was no one there to protect you. You got it. So it was a learning experience for me."
Both elders say lacrosse has kept families, the community and Squamish culture together, and say they are optimistic the new lacrosse box will allow the nation's young people a chance to discover the game and all that comes with it.
"We'll bring our children back together. We need that back togetherness," Paítsmuḵ said.
"We're still here. Our sport is here, our culture is here, all of our traditions are still here."
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