Introducing Larry Louie

(This biography is based on a submission from Louie's daughter Cyndi Egan.)

Born in Powell River in 1950, as a young boy living in the Tla’amin community, previously the Sliammon Indian Reserve, Larry Louie was active and hard working. As the eldest child in his family, one of his responsibilities was caring for his grandfather where he learned cultural ways. So much so, he wasn’t exposed to learning the English language until he started attending the Indian Day schools at age five. In between chores, Larry played pickup games of soccer with other boys from the community. At the age of 12, his dad arranged targets so Larry could practice his shooting accuracy using either foot. It was during this activity that George Lewis, a BC Hydro worker, happened to notice Larry’s impressive ability and asked permission for Larry to play for the Powell River Legion #164 boy’s team he coached.

Larry excelled playing on his first organized team even though he was wearing old rugby shoes that were ill-fitting. A kind spectator noticed this and provided Larry with his first pair of real soccer boots that actually fit. Proper shoes helped Larry to lead his team to win the Division 5 (Under-13) Provincial Championship in the 1963 Sun Tournament of Champions. Larry’s play shone such that he won the “Sun Soccer Boy” trophy as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

A few years later, Larry moved to a native boy’s boarding house in North Vancouver to reconnect with friends and hopefully to find more opportunities with soccer. With native children now allowed to attend public school, Larry enrolled at Carson Graham Secondary and immediately joined the school’s soccer team. Again, Larry’s talents stood out and he caught the eye of both the North Vancouver Burdettes youth team and the North Shore United adult Junior team, this ultimately resulting in Larry playing on three teams at the same time throughout his high school years. His passion for soccer now had him playing soccer seven days a week.

Scholarship offers from Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia and Saint Louis University in Missouri were received. There were also invitations to participate with Canada in the Pan Am Games, but unfortunately these opportunities came at a time when his father had just passed away and it just wasn’t financially possible, as he took his responsibility as the eldest child seriously. However, he was selected and able to commit to Team British Columbia’s soccer squad who won the gold medal in the 1969 Canada Summer Games in Halifax. Team manager Lou Moro noted: “Louie is our key playmaker".

Louie played top-level soccer with North Shore United in the Pacific Coast League from 1968 to 1971, where he was scouted by the Vancouver Cougars and the Vancouver Spartans. Now paid for his passion, Louie played on the semi-professional Spartans for two years, playing for crowds at Empire Stadium and Swangard Stadium.

However, this precluded him from playing with his idols before their retirement. Because he was a paid player with the Spartans, he was not permitted to play with his home community Powell River team, the Sliammon Braves. He always wanted to play for his native community team alongside his idols Les Adams and Louie Tom in the All-Native Tournaments but unfortunately this did not materialize. He later played with Sliammon Braves for years, but after his idols had retired their soccer careers.

“Larry Louie is not only an exceptional athlete, but a natural leader and mentor whose humility and good nature has inspired people in the soccer world and beyond” notes daughter Cyndi Egan.

Louie is currently an elected Legislator with the Tla’amin Nation. He was inducted into the Powell River Sports Hall of Fame in 2022 and was inducted into the Soccer Hall of Fame of BC in 2022.