A lively group gathered on Friday night at the Uniplex for a special Dinner with Champions in honour of five wonderful local individuals who poured their hearts and souls into athletics, either as participants or builders. The Humboldt and District Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was a mirthful evening of reminiscence and raucous laughter, thanks to the stewardship of Dave Hill and Chad Knaus as MCs.  

There was an equally enthusiastic group who gathered the next day at the Humboldt and District Museum for a meet and greet with the inductees. Attendees had a chance to catch up with their hometown heroes, get sports cards autographed, and extend the down home celebration on a personal level. 

In the second part of Discover Humboldt’s visit with the inductees, we caught up with Lyndon Rush, whose exploits in 2 and 4 man bobsledding have brought World and Olympic glory for Canada and for the Humboldt athlete.  

Rush was an all-round athlete who excelled on the football field, knocking off provincial championships with the Humboldt Mohawks football club through his tenure. His work ethic and skill on the D-line caught the eye of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, and he donned the Green and White to go on to a successful varsity career.  

Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton has been on the lookout for football players with certain attributes wrapping up their careers to migrate into the sport. The best sledders, it maintains, are fast and strong individuals who have excelled in sports like football. As part of its recruitment strategy, the organization reached out to Rush, who at first thought the overture was a crank call, a practical joke.  

He soon found out that was not the case and was on his way to participating in a new sport which would ultimately become his career. Now a coach for the national team, Rush’s return home gave him a chance to reframe those early beginnings. 

“I feel like when you come from a small community, you have an advantage in life,” Rush reflected. “Everybody, when they go out to coach minor sports, they’re trying to give back and help the kids become better humans. But in a small community, they know the background. They knew my family and that I was a middle child – that's their familiarity. I feel like that familiarity in a small town creates character.” 

Like the “it takes a village to raise a child” aphorism, Rush’s experience growing up in Humboldt gave him pause to think that kids aren’t just another name, but there is a sense of belonging, but not entitlement. While there may not have been the breadth of opportunities a big city has to offer a child, there is always a pathway to the road less travelled – like competitive bobsleighing. 

Mike Suchan was one of those community coaches who knew Rush growing up. He knew Brianne Theissen-Eaton, Ryan Schedlosky and countless other young athletes through his teaching and coaching career in Muenster and in Humboldt. 

Suchan has coached virtually every sport the communities had to offer. He was instrumental in starting the Minor Soccer program in Humboldt, a co-chair of the 2002 Saskatchewan Winter Games, and a pivotal member of many school and community sporting agencies.  

Like Rush, he understands the nature and value of small communities in the development of students as athletes and as citizens. He marvels at the impact those who were inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame, both current and past, have had at home and around the world.  

Now, he looks on his involvement as part of a cycle where those young athletes, including his own children, have become the leaders in sport and youth development. 

“It gives me great pride to see my sons and my grandchildren involved and they’re giving back,” Suchan says. “Somebody had to help them along the way for them to have the successes that they’ve had. It’s so great that they not only appreciated that, but they are willing to give back to people. Other individuals will find opportunities from that. That gives me a lot of pride.” 

Pride was evident throughout the people as their hometown heroes assembled for a very special evening and morning of celebration. The events relied on the co-operation of volunteers from the Humboldt and District Sports Hall of Fame Committee and a host of folks behind the scenes from caterers to venue staff, to Museum staff. Congratulations to all who had a hand in the event.