Arthur Obey facts for kids
Arthur "Art" Obey (born 1931 or 1932 – died 1988) was a Canadian ice hockey coach and athlete. He coached the Lebret Indians hockey team, which was very successful for five years. Art Obey was good at many sports and won the Tom Longboat Award twice (in 1951 and 1960). He worked to develop sports and recreation programs in Saskatchewan, especially for Indigenous people. He even started the Indian Summer Games in the province. Many people remember him as a "builder and leader" in sports for Aboriginal communities.
Early Life and School
Arthur Obey was born on November 25, either in 1931 or 1932. His birthplace was either the Piapot First Nation or Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. George Obey. His father was from the Sioux people, and his mother was from the Saulteaux First Nation.
In the 1940s, Art Obey went to Lebret Industrial School. This school was also known as Qu'Appelle Indian Residential School or Lebret Indian School. It was located near Lebret, Saskatchewan. The school was run by the Oblates (for boys) and the Grey Nuns (for girls). A high school called St. Paul's High School opened there in 1948. Four winners of the Tom Longboat Award, including Art Obey, went to this school. The other winners were George Poitras, Herbert Strongeagle, and Gerald Starr.
When Art was a student, he spent half of his day learning farming skills. The other half of his day was spent in regular classes. In 1948, Father Paul Piechet introduced the first high school and sports programs. Art Obey was part of the first high school class, and all the boys in that class were on the hockey team. The school's hockey team was called the Lebret Indians. Their team sweaters looked like the Montreal Canadiens' jerseys, but they had an "Indian head" symbol instead of the "CH" logo.
Art Obey played hockey and baseball, and he was also a fast short-distance runner. He was a very good baseball pitcher for teams like Notre Dame of Wilcox and Fort Qu'Appelle. He also played for the Lebret Indians baseball team sometimes. In 1949, he played baseball for Notre Dame College.
He also joined the Cadet Movement at the Lebret School. This group was called the Hugonard Cadet Corps. Art Obey took a Cadet Course in 1946. By 1950, he became a Cadet Major. In 1952, he earned the Master Cadet Certificate. The Cadet Corps won the "Efficiency Trophy" and the "Challenge Cup" in 1948. These awards were for being the best corps in the province.
Personal Life
Art Obey married Yvonne Adams in 1951 or 1952. She was from Muscow, near Fort Qu'Appelle. They had four children: three boys and one girl. Some records say they raised a total of nine children. When he passed away in 1988, he left behind his wife Yvonne, four daughters, and five sons.
Career Highlights
Art Obey became the Sports Director at Lebret Industrial School in 1950. He later went to a training program in Red Deer, Alberta, to learn about recreation leadership. After that, he became the recreation director at Lebret. He coached hockey there very successfully. He stayed at Lebret until 1962.
As a coach, athletics director, and sometimes a player, Art Obey led the Lebret Indians to many victories:
- 1952: They won the Qu'Appelle Valley Intermediate Hockey League. Art Obey was both the coach and a star player.
- Junior "B" Atholl Murray Trophy: They won this championship five years in a row: 1954-55, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1957–58, and 1958–59.
- Juvenile "B" Shield: They won this championship in 1957, 1959, and 1960.
- Juvenile "C" Al Pickard Trophy: They won this in 1958.
- Midget "C" Ken Price Trophy: They won this in 1958.
- 1959: They became High School Mainline Hockey League Champions.
- 1959: They also won the Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association "B" Basketball championship.
Art Obey also coached the track and field team. This team was very successful from 1955 to 1960. He likely trained Gerald Starr, another Tom Longboat Award winner.
After leaving Lebret, Art Obey continued his work in sports. He worked at Friendship Centres for a few years. He then returned to Piapot First Nation to be with his parents. By 1969, he was the first full-time recreation director at Fort Qu'Appelle. He also helped coordinate minor hockey.
In 1971, Art Obey became the Provincial Recreation Director for Saskatchewan. This program was set up by the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians (FSI). He also helped organize the first Western Canada Native Winter Games in 1972. In 1974, he was the recreation director at the FSI's new sports center in Prince Albert. The Saskatchewan Indian Winter Games became an annual event because of his efforts.
In 1974, Art Obey and Fred Sasakamoose coached the Prince Albert bantam hockey team. This team reached the northern final. Later, the Saskatchewan Indian Bantam Hockey Team played eight exhibition games in Holland and Finland, winning six of them.
Art Obey also served on the Board of Lebret Indian School, which later became White Calf Collegiate. He was also a "resource person" for a training program for Saskatchewan Indian Recreation Directors. He worked for the Meadow Lake District Tribal Council and as an F.S.I. District Representative.
The Saskatchewan First Nations Sports Hall of Fame recognizes Art Obey as a "builder and leader in recreation and sport development for Aboriginal people." One of his biggest achievements was starting the Saskatchewan Indian Summer Games in 1974. He also coached the first Canadian Women's Softball Team.
Awards
Art Obey won the Tom Longboat Award twice:
- 1951: He received the Regional (R) award at age 20 for his skills in Baseball and Hockey.
- 1960: He received the National (N) award at age 29 for Hockey and Baseball.
In 1980, he also received an Appreciation Award at the SIWA Conference. This award was given to both Art Obey and Tony Cote on behalf of the First Canadians women's ball team.
