The History of Soccer

in Saskatoon

First Collection

It all begins with an idea. The Saskatoon Soccer Centre board formed a committee to "create a living, breathing, organic preservation of soccer in Saskatoon,” called the SK Legacy Project.

The committee collected, documented, and processed Saskatoon soccer artifacts, stories, and memorabilia from players, coaches, managers, and volunteers.

The committee developed a new display case at the Saskatoon Kinsmen/Henk Ruys Soccer Centre to showcase the game's history in Saskatoon from 1912 to the present day.

This page contains the results of the work and dedication of the initial project members: Jodi Blackwell, Mark Millard, David Taylor, Derek McWilliam, and Jacob Powell.

Column 1

1904 - 1920s

The theme for the initial Collection was around the idea that soccer in Saskatoon/Saskatchewan was built on the shoulders of giants. We attempted to display the key people who were pivotal in developing soccer in Saskatoon/Saskatchewan.

Artifacts - Column 1

Meeting Book

(Middle of column)

Executive Book of the Saskatoon Football Association - July 5th 1909 - The bedrock of soccer in Saskatoon.

This book contains the bedrock of soccer in Saskatoon. This book includes meeting notes, match details, and expenses reports since 1909. Motions like “That the linesmen at each game be appointed by the two clubs concerned (1913)” pepper this book outlining the bedrock of soccer in Saskatoon.

Names mentioned: J.C Bell, George Hill, R. Hutchinson, C. Randall, Crozier, Cook, Jeffs, Gaunt, R. Blackwood, Dr Valens, W.G Hardy,

Picture of Team (Bottom left)

These were the champions in 1907. Soccer officially began in the province only three years earlier, in 1904.

Small framed picture (Bottom right corner)

Saskatoon Thistle FC. 1928 Cup Winners

Player Registration Sheet

Original player registration form in 1955.

Team Picture (middle of Column)

Saskatoon International Football in England, 1919.

Timelines

First Football game played in Saskatoon.
Four competing teams battled it out on Dominion Day, Nutana, Englishmen, Floral and Smithville.
The British Colonial FC met Floral in The Northern Saskatchewan football derby. The game was played on Exhibition grounds, now Kinsmen park. According to the Phoenix, the local newspaper at the time, the Saskatchewan team hit the middle of the bar towards the end of the game which would have given Saskatchewan the victory, however, the bar was sagging. After the game the Floralites crossed the river and picnicked on the bluffs.
The Saskatoon League began with 6 official teams - Nutana, Young Liberals, East Saskatoon, Sons of England, Shamrocks, West Saskatoon.
The largest league was formed with 12 teams taking part in competition
2,500 people packed into Mayfair field to watch the Scottish FA play against the Saskatchewan All Stars.

Column 2

Column 3

1930 - 1970s

Columns 2 and 3.

Dirty Thirties - Most teams folded but Westmount, Legion sons and Mayfair were the only ones that were left.

Legion Suns Football Club - winners of Provincial Shield, Saskatoon, 1937. Shot taken beside the Hugh Cairns memorial, one of the few clubs to avoid disbanding during this time period.

Artifacts - Column 2

Framed Team Photo (Top left of column)

Medical Kit

David Newsham’s old medical kit he used for games.

Noise Makers (Top Right)

Small framed picture (Top left corner)

Fan favorite noise makers from the 50s.

Mayfair Rangers 1948. Saskatchewan Shield Champs.

Team Picture (Bottom Left)

Saskatoon United, 1958. David Newsham can be seen on the far left.

Saskatoon All Stars, 1952.

Bobby Reid (Coach), Sam McEwan (Manager), and Gump Worsley (Center Forward).

The Saskatoon All Stars played against the Tottenham Hotspur’s on May 28th, 1952. Gump Worsley played center forward. Gump was also a professional hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens.

Game Pamplets (Bottom right)

Timelines

Hugh Cairns Memorial was constructed with the strenuous efforts of MI (Callie) Nicholson. A tribute to local players that fell in the first world war.
The Nutana Army and Navy Veterans formed to play exhibition games.
The shield was the coveted trophy at the time. An all star team was formed, United, who ended up playing Tottenham Hotspurs and a host of international clubs
Ethnic groups began forming teams like Hollandia, Corinthians, and colonia. With the RCAF team and United, these teams formed the Saskatoon League.
Henk Ruys Registration to Hollandia.
Name changes and amalgamations were the talk of the day. The North Saskatchewan Soccer League was formed which included Prince Albert Reds, the North Battleford Legions, Sweetgrass, and Mosquito.

Artifacts - Column 3

David Newsham and Henk Ruys being featured in the paper. Newsham and Ruys played an important role in the development of soccer here in Saskatoon.

Poster

(Middle of column)

Western Canada Soccer League game poster. Saskatoon City taking on Vancouver Spartans in 1969. Plus, roster sheet for the game played above.

West Mont United Provincial Midget Champions

N. Clarke, D. Yellowlees, Dan Warren (League President), and John Hays (Coach).

Newspaper Clipping

(Bottom Left)

Henk Ruys was born Jan 27, 1934 in Veghel, Holland. He played in Holland and advanced to the Blauw Geel senior team when he and his wife moved to Saskatchewan.

Henk Ruys receiving the Kinsmen Sportsman trophy. The trophy goes to someone who has made an exceptional contribution to sport in Saskatoon.

Henk Ruys registration for club Hollandia in 1961.

Henk also played on several local and provincial all-star teams, winning scoring championships. By 1958 he was the coach of Hollandia. His career in administration started in 1958 when he was elected to represent the Saskatoon Soccer Association on the Saskatchewan Soccer Association and become a secretary of the Hollandia Club.

Column 4

1980 - 1990’s

Building the soccer centers. Through the efforts of an army of volunteers, the Heading Indoors Campaign and the likes of John Tomchuck, John Riggs, Jim Cook, Lawrence Martz, Cliff Wright, and countless others- Henk Ruys soccer facility was built, the first ever indoor soccer facility dedicated to the sport of soccer.

Artifacts - Column 4

Saskatoon Soccer Surfaces. Over the years, Saskatoon Soccer players have played on many different kinds of surfaces. These 3 floor coverings came from the original soccer center, an old turf patch from the original turf at Nelson Road and the tile used at Henk Ruys Soccer Center.

Old soccer netting from the original Soccer Center

(Top left of column)

Original rendering of the new soccer center at Nelson road. Before any indoor fields, Saskatoon soccer players would need to go to the school gym, old warehouses, the Prairieland, or Colonson. Up to 1999 there was never a building dedicated to indoor soccer of any kind.