MGBHLMFN is building a second soccer pitch (ID 15794310 © Albo | Dreamstime.com).

By Austin Mattes

Empowering Youth

‘It might bring out the next Beckham’: Mosquito to build second soccer pitch

May 21, 2025 | 2:31 PM

With decades of love for sport and a growing vision for the future, Mosquito Grizzly Bear’s Head Lean Man First Nation (MGBHLMFN) is planning to build a second soccer pitch to empower youth and create more spaces for families.

The new field is set to be built right beside the Solomon Memorial Soccer pitch and MGBHLMFN Councillor, Sanderson Wahobin said that the success of the first field shows the need for a second.

“Mosquito has always been a strong soccer nation and it goes back years to the ’60s and ’70s. Solomon Mosquito was a pioneer of the sport and when we built the first field in memory of him, we’ve had nothing but tournaments, people coming out, other nations reaching out to use the field, having a great time. That’s why we decided to build a second one,” said Wahobin.

Location of the new soccer field (Mosquito Grizzly Bear’s Head Lean Man First Nation/Facebook).

With the construction of the new pitch, it brings new opportunities to the community’s recreation that may not have been possible before. In 2023, MGBHLMFN hosted the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Soccer Tournament, one of the largest Indigenous tournaments in Saskatchewan, but had to play all the games in North Battleford.

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Now, with the building of the second field, Wahobin wants to bring the tournament back home.

“It’s been a long time since the tournament has been on a First Nation, it has always been in the cities. We kind of had this dream of having two fields, so we’d be able to host and have it back home in our nation,” he said.

Not only will the field open new possibilities, but it will aim to help address gender equity in local sports too, Wahobin added.

“There’s a lot of women that play soccer, and every time there’s a tournament, it’s always a men’s tournament. So, the second field will be helpful to have women’s tournament and give them an opportunity to play,” said Wahobin.

The new pitch will also carry a deep emotional meaning as well. Just like the Solomon Memorial Soccer pitch, this one will also be named in memory of an influential community member.

Wahobin said the field will be named in honour of Bryton Wahobin.

“He was a young player and everybody knew him. The whole soccer family knew him. He was such a good kid, sadly, he passed away, and it was a big loss to our community. The second field will be a memorial field for Bryton,” he said.

As MGBHLMFN continues to grow, this new field represents more than just a sports venue, it’s a symbol of community and Wahobin hopes it will help open doors for the younger generation.

“It’s something positive for our reserve. Our reserve is going through so much growth, and this second field will bring it out a lot. In the evenings, kids can go kick the ball and you know, it might bring out the next Beckham,” he said.

Surveying and pre-construction is underway for the project, but a completion date is still yet to be determined. It is estimated the new field will cost around $120,000.

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Austin.mattes@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @AustinMattes