![]() That probably hurt the most."Īfter Muckler was fired following the 1996-97 season, Nolan was viewed on the outside as the primary reason. "I worked in a program talking to kids about the dangers, and here I was labelled. Some people that succumb to their trauma get into drugs and alcohol. Our people have been described as that for so long. "When you say 'lazy' and 'drunk at practice,' that really hit home. "Rumours I wouldn't listen to direction, I'm a hard guy to work with, I'm lazy, I was drunk at practice," Nolan said. That led him to Buffalo, where he pushed the Sabres atop the standings despite a limited roster and a strained relationship with general manager John Muckler.Īs his tenure progressed behind the bench, whispers started to emerge. Nolan then returned to the Greyhounds as coach and helped the team to three Memorial Cup appearances, culminating with a victory in 1993. Marie with the Greyhounds alongside a baby-faced Wayne Gretzky before realizing his own NHL dream. ![]() He eventually moved on with his junior career back to Sault Ste. "Have a little bit more understanding, have a little bit more compassion for people less fortunate trying to play." "It should be a little bit more open," Nolan said. He also wanted to shine a light on the hurdles some minorities face in hockey. "How do you just get over something so traumatic?" "We heard the whole story with truth and reconciliation … everybody's like, 'Just get over it,'" Nolan said. It's his wish that "Life in Two Worlds" helps foster better understanding and awareness of Indigenous communities' place in society. "Wanted to prove I could play versus playing because I really enjoyed the game." "The game changed from 'Having fun in the game' to 'Trying to survive in the game.' "Put my brain on cruise control," Nolan said. "Thankful that I made it through that year." "Not once did they ask, 'How come you're not going to school?' They just let me be. "The scary part about it was people involved with our team were directly involved with the education system," he said. Nolan eventually stopped going to school. ![]() "I turned to alcohol when I was 16 and tried to subdue the pain I felt fighting in hockey all the time, fighting at school all the time." "Extremely hard for me to adjust," said Nolan, who is Ojibwa. Marie, and playing junior in Kenora, Ont., where he dealt with racism from all sides, including teammates. He dives in on life in Garden River, the challenge of being an Indigenous child at school in Sault Ste. "Had to get into the private part and talk about my upbringing and the things that happened." "I got really emotional about what happened in my career," Nolan said in an interview with The Canadian Press. The 65-year-old, to be clear, never set out to write a book.īut with the ongoing conversations in Canada around systemic racism against Indigenous Peoples, including the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Nolan felt compelled to tell his story. Marie, Ont.- leaving home to play hockey as an outsider, making the NHL, his journey in coaching, and a still-stunning split with the Sabres. That jarring anecdote opens Nolan's book "Life in Two Worlds: A Coach's Journey from the Reserve to the NHL and Back," which hit shelves this week.Īnd Nolan doesn't hold back, providing raw details of his life in Garden River First Nation Reserve - near Sault Ste. "I heard it land with a loud metallic crash." "I lifted my foot, and with all the strength I had, kicked the box, sending it hurtling," Nolan continued. Emotions washed over him until only one remained: "Pure anger." He placed the package at the top of the stairs. "I knew what was in the box," Nolan recalled, "but I'd pushed any thought of its arrival far from my mind." ![]() Nolan won the trophy the previous season after guiding the Buffalo Sabres to a surprise division title, besting a field that included the legendary Scotty Bowman. The knock at the door was the delivery of the Jack Adams Award - a prestigious nod given annually to the NHL's coach of the year.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |