Jul 20 2023 43 mins 1
Walter “Butch” Goodleaf received his first lacrosse stick at age 7 from his Grandmother. This humble start lead to his well-deserved induction into the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame. He would display unique leadership skills as a Player, Coach and Builder in the Kahnawake community along the way. “Butch” is known for being a team player and possessing great defensive skills, with the ability of creating offense for his Minor and Senior teams. He played on teams that won Quebec Provincial Championships and participated in President Cups and the Commonwealth Games. Goodleaf collected team and league awards that include MVP and All Star team selections. He was well respected by his teammates and was selected Captain many times. He is representative of a by-gone era of Mohawk players that earned their living as steel workers on the eastern seaboard of the USA. Goodleaf is proud of working on the original World Trade Center in New York City and traveling back to Quebec and Ontario overnight on the weekends to play lacrosse. One of his greatest personal off-floor achievements was serving as the sub-chief on the Council responsible for building the Kahnawake Sports Complex and Arena which will be the home of local lacrosse teams for many years to come. Walter Goodleaf’s story is one you want to hear- a tale from a time where love of the game was the main reward for playing.
