There’s a strong difference between winning games and building a winning culture. In the former, victories, no matter how they affect a team’s character and skill development, take precedent. In the latter, the focus is on physical, mental and emotional growth. It’s a holistic approach which includes trusting the process and getting better day by day. 

In Oakbank, Manitoba, where the Springfield Sabres call home, the team’s identity, “brick by brick,” is based on the latter and it’s safe to say it’s paid off. 

In just two seasons in the Winnipeg High School Football League (WHSFL), head coach Tom Walls – who founded both the WHSFL club and its MMFA counterpart the Sunrise Coyotes – has helped lead the Sabres to two consecutive undefeated regular seasons. This past year, in what turned out to be an unusual campaign, Springfield ran the table, capturing the Division 2 title with a 34-21 win over Murdoch in nasty winter conditions at East Side Eagles field. 

But to say that Springfield’s rise to WHSFL greatness over the last few years has been easy would be incorrect. It took time, patience and full-fledged commitment from each player on the roster. This became far more critical after week one, when the Sabres, originally placed in Division 3, moved up a tier after a 34-6 victory over newly-founded John Taylor. 

The following two months saw the Sabres come from behind on three different occasions, including in the semi-finals against a high-powered Elmwood offence where they won despite not having a starting tackle or tight end. When one man stepped down, another stood up because they were prepared to do so. 

“Of course we had injuries, surprises and moments where it felt like the wheels might come off the bus. However, for such a young and new group of players, this season was particularly remarkable,” reflected Walls in the team’s December newsletter at the end of the season. 

“It was predictable because the things we are doing at Springfield are different than in other schools. By shaping a year-round program which offers students more than just a season of sport, we create an atmosphere where players invest themselves wholly in the process. When players are part of a program and not just a team, they have a far greater chance to do things like move up a division and still go undefeated.”

Building a winning culture 

Springfield’s year-round programming includes offseason strength and speed workouts, as well as Sabres Nights, which feature numerous team-building activities to help increase rappor. There’s also indoor practices and spring and summer camps. New this year will be a midnight practice to start the fall season, while the annual candle ceremony will continue.

The candle ceremony is the program’s final team-building activity of the year. Grade 12 players are given a candle at the start of the season. They put their number, and a word that represented them, on the candle.  At the end of the year, they pass that candle onto an underclassman who they feel can represent that word. That player then continues on the tradition, which fosters a team-first environment and commitment to accountability. 

For example, at the end of the 2021 campaign, guard Ben Armstrong – one of the team’s captains who set the tempo for the group up front – wrote the word ‘leader.’ He then passed his candle onto sophomore Mason Harmatiuk, one of three different Sabres backs to score in the championship against Murdoch. 

For Armstrong, the term ‘leader’ was fitting. Walls noted that he “practiced like his hair was on fire” every day, and he set the tone for the rest of the group. Blocking is critical in any offence, but it’s particularly valued to Walls and his coaching staff. In the Sabres’ system-based offence, controlling the line of scrimmage and keeping the opposing defence on their toes with misdirection is key. 

Players can attack from anywhere on the field, with a variety of weapons available at Walls’ disposal. Take the team’s run game for example, where five different ball carriers combined for over 1800 yards, showcasing Springfield’s versatility but also their stable protection up front, which, including Amstrong, commonly featured seven players at the line of scrimmage.

 “Coach Tom, I think of him as a father figure honestly. He’s always there. He gives us three ‘r’s: respect, responsibility and resiliency. I feel like that plays a huge role and keeps us in line,” said Armstrong.

“We are really good with our offence, because we are given a job. We have rules on the field, it’s not just run forward, go get the ball. Everybody has a systematic job, and if they mess up, the next guy is ready to fill in because they know their job. It’s about having the power to take over for another teammate if they’re down.”

Fellow senior Malachi Hickey, a game-changing running back and slotback with excellent vision, smooth strides and breakaway speed, can attest to the core value of resiliency. He played football when he was younger and was well known for his speed, but anxiety got in the way of his progress. He left the sport for a while because of it, but in 2019 he decided to give football another try and fell in love with the culture at Springfield. 

The fun he had, both on and off the field, helped remedy his internal struggles and gave him more confidence. This past year he took another huge step in his development, and was the catalyst for the Sabres’ championship win, scoring the first two majors for his team after putting on the afterburners on two long runs in a snow-filled affair. 

“Before I started, I had such bad anxiety, and I find this is such a great way to clear everything out of your mind. Even when I go to practice, seeing them all is like seeing my family. It just clears my mind. I just have the best time of my life when I’m at practice,” he said postgame. 

“This was my last year, these are my brothers and sisters. I would bleed for any single one of them. I don’t have words for what just happened. I’m just in shock completely still.”

While the Sabres will graduate 13 seniors, they still have a young, promising roster to build on for 2022. One day at a time, brick by brick, they’ll look to defend their crown in 2022. 

“As we go into the 2022 season, I have no reason to think our success will change,” said Walls. “Despite the loss of 13 grade 12s, I am still optimistic about our success because the process will not be changing.”