Recently I moved to the city of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and got a view of the city through their love of their WHL hockey team the Moose Jaw Warriors. It was an interesting lens to view a new city in as we had arrived just as the team had made the play offs. Through the city’s love of their hockey team a series of qualities to be admired emerged. It could be said that the team embodies the city’s hope, determination, but also love and acceptance. For a city who has signs all over the place broadcasting their “notorious” status in different areas like friendliness, inclusivity, creative, etc,. The Moose Jaw Warriors are notoriously Moose Jaw.
The building that the Moose Jaw Warriors call home is a community gathering place. Mosaic centre is a landmark located at the end of downtown and is the city’s entertainment centre. It not only houses the Moose Jaw Warriors but also hosts curling, concerts, and community spaces (banquet rooms and meeting rooms.) It is a hub of the city with the historic bell on one side and the shape of an airplane hangar grabbing visual attention. Whether you want to watch a fast paced hockey game or sing country music to God or celebrate Indigenous Day this is the place to be.
At one end you have the historic bell of the city and on the other you have a set of stair cases. Those stair cases have been the host of all sorts of physical activity and meetings. There have been teenage boys playing hacky sac. Boys racing each other through their own imagined obstacle course with flights of stairs and jumping jacks. There have been lone women marching to their own drum and tunes as they run up and down the stairs. There have also been supportive groups of women meeting in pairs or more to cheer each other and compete as they use the stairs for fitness. Co-ed groups join for what onlookers can hope is the battle of the sexes with women kicking ass. **insert some cheerful winking here** Of course that is said in jest as the most important thing is people gathering together and getting their sweat on.
The mosaic centre is not just a place for hockey fans to gather but for everyone to have the opportunity to gather.
It was easy to tell that the city loves their hockey team. There are painted benches and garbage cans with their insignia. There were posters and love on display for the team in nearly every business window located downtown displaying not just love for the team but for their team’s progress as well! There were welcome homes when the team returned from away games. There were send offs before they would leave onto the road. Boosting morale for the team but also the city as anyone could come together to cheer. The creativity could be seen in the businesses without the poster as they instead chose to create their own art and displays. Art changed from hopeful cheering of the progress through the playoffs to the proud display of accomplishment as the Moose Jaw Warriors were named WHL champions.
Public love was not limited to silent displays. It could be overheard in conversations. Passionate conversations seizing plays, goals, penalties, and predictions could be heard among friends, co-workers, and strangers! Out of all the comments and conversations I heard I have two favourites.
One was between a librarian and a patron.
The conversation was clearly taking place across worlds. Although they may have been from different worlds you couldn’t tell from the conversation. It didn’t matter that one was a person of lower economic status. The conversationalists easily let in a third person that was excited to join in with their own insight from listening to the games on the radio. The conversation was lively and passionate as each discussed their impressions, ideas, and experiences! (I just jumped off the couch!) (I know! Me too!) (Did you see that pass by Firkus?) (It wasn’t better than the twist around of Mateychuk!) (Yeah, sure, but did you see that save by Unger?) (I heard it! Ping!) (Did you hear the way he hollered gooooaaaalllll!?) The smiles, laughter, and passionate vocabulary exchanged was priceless (and beautiful) to witness.
The second was one exchanged between what I believe to be strangers at a crosswalk intersection.
One stranger looked up from their phone and saw the other stranger wearing a Moose Jaw Warriors hat. (Did you see the game last night?) (I didn’t just see it I was there!) (I was watching it at home. It must have been electric inside.) (It was! The crowd was deafening and the arena was rocking!) (Next game the Saskatoon Blades are going to get revenge.) (It won’t matter we have Calveret and Rysavy!) The hand talking, the laughter, the friendly handshakes/high fives as they went their separate ways was both humorous and awesome to see.
There was something to admire in these exchanges as each conversation ended it grew in other directions. As the patrons left the library desk going back to their computers the conversation continued with librarians as another said they stream everything so they listen to the games on the radio and the other was talking about how epic that one hit and goal were. As the two strangers left one another at the street corner being behind one of the individuals they exchanged comments with several other strangers full of great humour before we went our separate ways.
When game days arrived the entire area surrounding the Mosaic centre bloomed with people and festivities. Although Moose Jaw Warrior gear was obviously at the most desired there was so much plaid that was clearly a close second. There was even an Ottawa PWHL jersey. The most important thing was your presence and your colours of red and black. Everything else was extra.
Walking across the city on a game day I was greeted and celebrated with so many strangers simply because I had a plaid shirt on. I was smiling so wide by the time I got home. Before this day I had simply avoided downtown on game days due to the volume of people. But now I saw a different side. I saw people stopping at crosswalks anyway and cheering/interacting with people anywhere just because.
Wearing the jerseys, putting up posters, gathering your red and black colours, or putting up your flags was all you needed to show off your participation. Cheering with strangers, mentioning that wicked save, and reminding someone game time was 7pm were all ways to participate. Whether you are gathered at the arena or the food truck, gathering friends or family over to watch the TV, or listening to the radio you are a part of something more.
Sports have this wonderful way of bringing people together that may or may not connect together in any other way. There is something so special and important about being able to feel like you are a part of something. That you have found that common ground on a large scale. People from all walks of life can come together with one goal, idea, or cause in mind. A local sports team like the Moose Jaw Warriors connects to the life force of the city as this is something not “out there,” but a cause right here. This love is not one-sided or non-reciprocal.
With an unforgettable season the Moose Jaw Warriors have given the city something priceless. A belief in not only their team but in the capability of themselves and each other. This belief erases the idea that anyone is limited by their circumstances or history. The Moose Jaw Warriors went into this season with a forty year break between championships in the WHL behind them. They proved not only to themselves but to the city that our history doesn’t matter. This can be our year, our season, our day, and our week.
Moose Jaw is a notorious city in Canada. Although usually known as the “Friendly City,” they are really the notorious city. Notoriously kind, inventive, creative, friendly, and inclusive just to name a few. It is a city that is so much more than just one thing. The team the Moose Jaw Warriors are also notorious. They are notoriously surprising, courageous, and fierce. Beyond living up to the warrior name sake they are more than individuals they represent an idea. An idea that nothing is over until it is. There is always time to get one more play in. There is always time or another day for another lap up the stairs. There is always time to take part in the community. The Moose Jaw warriors are notoriously Moose Jaw and so are all of us.