2 former athletes from Garden River First Nation to be inducted in Canada Sports Hall of Fame

CBC News

· Posted: Jun 06, 2025 7:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: June 6

Two erstwhile athletes from Garden River First Nation successful northeastern Ontario volition beryllium inducted into the Canada Sports Hall of Fame this year.

Former NHL subordinate and manager Ted Nolan, and his relative Darren Zack, a fastball pitcher, volition some person the honour astatine a ceremonial successful Gatineau, Que., successful October. 

"It's a large woody to person 2 radical from the aforesaid First Nation assemblage successful bluish Ontario," Nolan told CBC News.

"Who would ever deliberation that we would get the highest honour successful astir apt the astir prestigious sports hallway of fame successful Canada?"

In 1997 Nolan was recognized arsenic the NHL manager of the twelvemonth erstwhile helium was coaching the Buffalo Sabres. 

Nolan said that increasing up, his assemblage had a shot tract and hockey rink to support him and his friends active.

"I'm thankful for each the radical who led the mode for us," helium said.

More precocious he's been conducting hockey schools with his 2 sons, and doing nationalist speaking engagements.

Nolan said things are amended for Indigenous athletes today, compared to erstwhile helium was increasing up, but there's inactive a batch of country for improvement.

Zack played for the Canadian nationalist fastball squad and won 3 consecutive golden medals astatine the Pan American Games successful 1991, 1995 and 1999.