Calling NHL games in Cree is more than a dream come true for broadcaster Clarence Iron. ItB次元官网网址檚 also a way to help preserve his language.

The 60-year-old broadcaster from Canoe Lake Cree Nation in northern Saskatchewan is set bring the sport he loves to his community in a whole new way next month with the debut of B次元官网网址淗ockey Night in Canada in Cree.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚t means a lot. WeB次元官网网址檙e losing our languages across Canada,B次元官网网址� said Iron, whoB次元官网网址檒l do play-by-play in Plains Cree for the six NHL broadcasts in Canada. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e trying to save the Cree language. And itB次元官网网址檒l help. Even to call a hockey game in Cree, itB次元官网网址檚 a big thing.B次元官网网址�

Sportsnet and APTN are teaming up for the broadcasts in whatB次元官网网址檚 considered one of the most widely spoken Indigenous languages in the country.

Iron grew up listening to B次元官网网址淗ockey Night in CanadaB次元官网网址� on the radio and idolizing broadcasters Foster Hewitt, Bob Cole and Danny Gallivan.

B次元官网网址淚 always dreamt to be involved somehow in Hockey Night in Canada. I had dreams, a vision, when I was younger that maybe one day. But I never thought I would be calling play-by-play in Cree. I thought maybe the English version,B次元官网网址� he said with a laugh.

As a kid, Iron loved the Maple Leafs and the Oilers. He occasionally got a chance to go to Edmonton and watch hockey greats like Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky play.

B次元官网网址淚 had the opportunity to see some big players back then,B次元官网网址� he said.

He went to residential school, where he hung on to his Cree language by talking to himself and speaking to his classmates in secret.

Residential school is also where Iron started practicing his play-by-play at the outdoor rink.

B次元官网网址淚f I wasnB次元官网网址檛 playing, IB次元官网网址檇 be standing outside the arena where there was lots of snow and IB次元官网网址檇 be standing pretty much in the center ice area and IB次元官网网址檇 be calling play-by-play,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪ometimes they could hear me and they used to tell me to shut up because I was a little too loud.B次元官网网址�

In the mid-1990s, Iron was invited to call some Indigenous hockey tournaments in English, and would do a few minutes in Cree, too. He went on to call games in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, as well as some boxing and high school football games.

Iron struggled, though, battling alcoholism and drug addiction, and spent time living on the streets in various cities across Canada.

After working on his recovery, he got a job as a broadcaster at CFNK radio in Pinehouse, Saskatchewan, about 215 miles (350 kilometers) north of Prince Albert. His show, where he talks about local, regional and national news, is livestreamed online, attracting listeners from across the country and as far away as Russia.

IronB次元官网网址檚 love for hockey never faded and in March 2019, he made history, doing play-by-play for the first-ever Cree broadcast of an NHL game.

He has since called several games for B次元官网网址淩ogers Hometown Hockey in Cree.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲hen we first started, we had a real good feedback,B次元官网网址� Iron said. B次元官网网址淧eople really liked what I was doing, calling in Cree, especially some of the elders.B次元官网网址�

Taking part in the broadcasts hasnB次元官网网址檛 been easy, though.

In order to get to the studio in Winnipeg, Iron has to get a ride for the two-and-a-half hour drive to La Ronge, Saskatchewan. From there, he flies to Saskatoon, then on to Calgary, then Winnipeg. If heB次元官网网址檚 lucky, heB次元官网网址檒l get a direct flight from Saskatoon to Winnipeg, he said.

ThereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of work that goes into calling games, too. Iron has already begun studying the Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Senators rosters in preparation for calling a game between the sides on Jan. 15.

B次元官网网址淚t takes a little while. YouB次元官网网址檝e got to remember the names and the numbers. ItB次元官网网址檚 not easy. YouB次元官网网址檝e got to do a little homework,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been learning and IB次元官网网址檝e been practicing even some of the Cree terms like center ice, defensive faceoff, hat trick, penalty, penalty box, short-handed, wrist shot. You have to learn all those words. We had them before, itB次元官网网址檚 just to put them into a game. You have to think fast.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淗ockey Night in Canada in CreeB次元官网网址� games include Edmonton at Montreal on Jan. 29, Vancouver at Toronto on March 5, Edmonton at Calgary on March 26, Montreal at Toronto on April 9, and Toronto at Florida on April 23.

B次元官网网址擳he Associated Press