By Nora OB次元官网网址橫alley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter HA-SHILTH-SA

Navigating a sea of red Totem 69 fans, an unassuming Tom Watts slipped into the Alberni District Secondary School (ADSS) gymnasium and posted up in the `Lifetime membersB次元官网网址� seating area to watch the finals of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 longest-running high school basketball tournament.

The whiff of fresh popcorn and Taylor SwiftB次元官网网址檚 `I Knew You Were TroubleB次元官网网址� filled the air as the Alberni Storm senior girls team ran onto the court, sinking warm-up shots before a closely fought championship game against Pacific Christian School.

Watts pointed out his granddaughter, number 15 Jaidin Knighton, and says he showed her how to play.

B次元官网网址淚 love seeing her play. SheB次元官网网址檚 a really good player,B次元官网网址� said Watts, who celebrates his 90th birthday on Feb. 2.

In his heyday, Watts was an all-round athlete, excelling at basketball, softball, soccer and track and field.

B次元官网网址淢y name would be in the papers just about every week,B次元官网网址� he recalls from his home along Highway 4 on the outskirts of Port Alberni, flipping through a stack of old clippings with dozens of headlines like `Strike out record, 13 battersB次元官网网址� and `Shut outB次元官网网址� chronicling his phenomenal athletic career.

The Tseshaht elder was the lone Indigenous player on the eight-man Alberni Athletic Senior A basketball team that won the Canadian MenB次元官网网址檚 Championships in 1965. He is an ADSS Athletics and Nuu-chah-nulth Sports Hall of Fame inductee, and in 1962 Watts was awarded the Tom Longboat Award, an annual accolade that recognizes Indigenous athletes for their contributions to sport in Canada.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 my biggest inspiration,B次元官网网址� said Knighton, who nabbed a Totem All-Star medal for her efforts over the Jan. 9-11 tournament.

B次元官网网址淓ver since I was little, I would go into his room and there would be trophies everywhere. That really motivated me,B次元官网网址� she said.

KnightonB次元官网网址檚 older cousin Dakota Rayner remembers her grandpa, or `hubbaB次元官网网址�, the made-up word the family calls him, driving from Port Alberni to Parksville to watch all her games when she played in middle school.

B次元官网网址淓verything that IB次元官网网址檝e learned in life is from him. He raised incredible women. He taught us to be tough, intelligent and always to keep one foot in front of the other and to just stay ahead of the game,B次元官网网址� said Rayner, who celebrates her 26 birthday a day after her grandpaB次元官网网址檚 90.

B次元官网网址淲e are closer than close,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 believe heB次元官网网址檚 turning 90. Not even 15 years ago, he was still walking on his hands. HeB次元官网网址檚 so fit and heB次元官网网址檚 very `thereB次元官网网址�.B次元官网网址�

When Rayner first started playing basketball, Watts made a deal to pay her $5 per basket during games.

B次元官网网址淭hat whole $5 thing went down to $1 really quickly because we were easily getting 50 points a game,B次元官网网址� she recalls with a laugh.

B次元官网网址淗e paid me out in cash and I had my own bank account. I had to get a letter from grandpa explaining why I have so much money because as a child, youB次元官网网址檙e not supposed to be putting that much into an account. To prove to the bank that I was not laundering money, I had to get letters constantly,B次元官网网址� she said.

Then and now

Watts, who worked as a longshoreman, fisherman and plumber during his athletic days, thinks the kids coming up now are better at dribbling and shooting, but says the games are more disorganized.

B次元官网网址淩ight now, everyone is running everywhere. For me, it was always three passes. No dribbling. We always scored over 100 points every game,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲hen we were playing, we had a pattern. We knew where the ball was going every time. I remember all the games.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 could play the game before the game,B次元官网网址� he continues. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 like dancing. I like dancing. I did a lot of dancing. I had thousands of tapes on dancing. When I go to sleep, I would think about what I had to do. ItB次元官网网址檚 the same with basketball. YouB次元官网网址檙e thinking about, `oh, I need to fake to right and go the left, every time.B次元官网网址� And when I look at the floor, I know where the hoop is.B次元官网网址�

Watts attended the Alberni Indian Residential School (AIRS) until he was in Grade 7.

B次元官网网址淭hey didnB次元官网网址檛 teach us hardly anything when I went to residential school. We all taught ourselves by playing,B次元官网网址� said Watts.

He continued his schooling at ADSS and played for the senior boys basketball team, who were called the Chieftains at the time. He says he was always the only Indigenous person on the team and sometimes games would get put on pause because B次元官网网址淣atives werenB次元官网网址檛 allowed in the park.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭he referee or umpire would stop the game and say, `youB次元官网网址檙e not allowed in hereB次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� Watts recounts, adding that when the non-Indigenous teams needed a pitcher, theyB次元官网网址檇 always come pick him up from the reserve.

He never went for beers after the game, partly because he says some of his teammates were B次元官网网址渒ind of racist peopleB次元官网网址�, but also because he never partied.

B次元官网网址淚 was running a mile every morning and a mile at night,B次元官网网址� Watts said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 the secret to great basketball. Just like in other sports like hockey, the winners are always the fastest.B次元官网网址�

Still fit at 90, Watts stresses the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.

B次元官网网址淎fter the games, you canB次元官网网址檛 go party. You canB次元官网网址檛 drink, you canB次元官网网址檛 smoke. You need to train all the time. You need to rest before the games. Eat healthy foods too. Drink water,B次元官网网址� he encouraged.