By Andrew Breaker
Catlin Big snake is from the Siksika Nation, his parents are Carlon and Lisa Big snake, his mother is from Ochapowace. Catlin has two sons birthed by Desiree Big Snake. Catlin started his hockey journey when he was two years old, when he was about four years old, he played for a team in Siksika. He played with Siksika until U18 midgets. In his last year of midget hockey, a scout came to the Siksika dressing room who was from the OHL Oshawa Generals, Catlin stated that would be his first elite experience. After this year, Catlin tried out for Strathmore AA team, where he made final cuts and got put on the B team for Strathmore as they were in tier 2 of CAHL (Central Alberta Hockey League).
Catlin went on to try out for the Siksika Buffalos for a couple exhibition games, while that was happening, the OCN Blizzard came to watch one of the games he played in, and he was asked after the game if he would want to come and try out for their team. Catlin brought his best friend Kai Water Chief with him to OCN where they stayed for about a month until Kai Waterchief was sent home from the team, and Catlin decided to go back home with him. Catlin and Kai decided to go play in Ochapowace Saskatchewan for the hockey season.
After that hockey season and during the summer, Catlin got calls from all over Canada to play for their hockey teams. He decided to go with the Quesnel Millionaire’s hockey team as they gave him the better offer. Catlin made the final cuts of the team and as they were playing exhibition games, Catlin blew out his MCL where he got injured and was out for indefinitely. Quesnel sent Catlin home to do physio where he healed up and was ready to play again, but as he was ready to play, Quesnel’s hockey roster was full. After that, Catlin and his brother Cote Big Snake went to Saddle Lake to play hockey and about a week in, Catlin played two games and racked up 50 plus penalty minutes. Right after that, Catlin got a call from Quesnel where they flew him back and that is where he played until the trade deadline.
Catlin wanted to play in the playoffs as Quesnel was not in a playoff spot, so he asked for a trade and for that instance, any player that offers to ask for a trade, the manager must put that player on the trading block. As the day of the trade deadline approached, Catlin wasn’t traded to a team as the Quesnel’s coach told him that no team wanted him, so Catlin decided to go home and while he was packing up at his billets home, he got a call from the coach Dano Mckay from his Ochapowace hockey team, where he got a flight to regina from Quesnel. Catlin got a call later from the La Ronge Ice Wolves asking if he wanted to be an affiliated player and Catlin asked why they didn’t trade for him, and they told him that his name wasn’t on the trade block, so Quesnel didn’t put Catlin on the trade block. Catlin played with the La Ronge Ice Wolves for the remainder of the season and played throughout the playoffs and they ended up winning the SJHL (Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League) and they made nationals which would be the RBC cup. The RBC cup had all the top teams in Canada, they ended up being third in the country out of 166 teams.
“Hockey became too soft at the time, so I went back to play for the Blackfoot Miners” Catlin said as he mentioned what happened after that season.
He then went on to play for a bunch of different teams throughout his years with tournaments, championships and league championships as well. Catlin also participated in ice wars down in Wyoming with his record being 1-1. Just recently he got offered a contract to play for the Monroe Moccasins in the FPHL (Federal Professional Hockey League). Catlin faced criticism for playing hockey but not getting that much support when he would move around to play hockey. But for the most part he enjoyed every second of his journey with having great coaches and wonderful billet families. Everyone respected Catlin as a rookie, but he was also status as the tough guy on the team.
“A lot of people know we own the white buffalo, and most people know that the buffalo runs into the storm, and I feel that is how I run my life, I got to check out what is after the storm.” Catlin Big Snake said on words of encouragement to that Nations youth playing hockey.
