SJHL preseason play-by-play called in Cree by Thunderchild radio host

“I had the sheets in front of me, the lineups, and when the game went, I guess, for lack of a better word, the Cree brain that I had just took over. The brain, it’s like a high-processing computer when you translate from one language to the other during a very fast-paced game like that.”

Natomagan said Cree is a more elongated language than English, so on top of translating in real time, he had to condense what he was saying to keep up with the pace of play.

“You have to tell a story in an equivalent way to what an English announcer would say. To not lag too much, you have to keep the audience on the other side of the radio paying attention and saying, ‘OK, I can follow this.’”

Natomagan had experience calling games after working one the previous year, but he was the colour commentator then, so moving into the play-by-play role was an adjustment.

“That’s probably the third experience that I’ve had calling a game. But last night I was on my own, so I was in the hot seat. But according to the reviews on Facebook, on social media, some people are texting me this morning and saying, ‘Well done,’” he said.

According to Natomagan, the biggest difference between working alone and with a partner was having to fill the gaps during stoppages in play.

“I had to pay attention and almost take a second guess without my eyes actually seeing what happened in the background. There might be a fight on the other side of the rink. I don’t even see it because I’m so focused on the play at hand. So, if I had a colour man, he would have been filling in the blanks, but I had to do that.”

Asked about highlights from the game, Natomagan said he was impressed by the overall pace of play and the players’ character off the ice.

“Some of those players are just so exceptional. I wish the scouts from the NHL or the WHL would be here, or Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. Exceptional, exceptional players,” he said.

“I got to meet some of them. I got to tease some of them. They got to tease me, the 18- to 20-year-olds. They’re great players. The youth of this reserve, they need to learn from some of these young men. They need to learn from each other because it doesn’t matter the colour of your skin. Once you commit to hockey, you could be good to great, but you have to commit the time and effort.”

Natomagan hopes he can take Cree play-by-play beyond the SJHL and thinks the opportunity may arise soon.

“My colleague who’s currently calling hockey play-by-play nationally might be hanging up his skates in the next few years. I am, I think, 11 years younger than him. If Sportsnet or APTN or the NHL come calling, I’m up for it. I don’t care where it is. I’m certainly going to try to match or better the calibre of hockey that he did on a national level.”

For Natomagan, reaching that level would be special, particularly if it allowed him to represent Thunderchild on a national stage.

“I’m prepared to showcase Thunderchild talent whenever the opportunity presents itself.”

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Ryan.Lambert@pattisonmedia.com

by Ryan Lambert

SJHL preseason play-by-play called in Cree by Thunderchild radio host

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