Exhibit Guide
Regardless of whether the Crusaders were on a winning or losing streak, there have always been loyal fans in the bleachers, cheering them on. Click through this gallery to see some of the ways the St. Paul's community has supported its football players over the years.
Image: Fans cheer on the Crusaders as they take on the Trojans, September 2019. St. Paul's High School Archives.
From the 1940s through the 1980s, girls from St. Mary's academy led cheers in support of St. Paul's High School.
Image: The 1981 cheerleading squad share a laugh while showing off their trophy. St. Paul's High School Archives.
Cheerleading, now thought of as a primarily female sport, was once the domain of men. Cheerleaders were expected to shout and direct a crowd, actions that were considered 'masculine' at the turn of the century. By the time St. Paul's incorporated a cheer squad in the 1940s, it was common for both men and women to participate.
Image: Crusader Newspaper, October 1948. St. Paul's High School Archives.
In the 1950s most cheerleaders were girls, but a boy from the school was often captain of the cheer squad. Dave Brown, in the middle, was also a footballer, basketballer, and "loudest member of the glee club" at St. Paul's.
From left to right, the female cheerleaders are Cecile Ducasse, Lorraine Ritchot, Fran Holmes, Carol Robson, Audrey Zeilner, and Alex Rogowski.
Image: St. Paul's Cheerleaders, 1958 Yearbook photo. St. Paul's High School Archive.
This 1975 photograph is one of the few colour images of St. Paul's cheerleaders in our archives.
Image: St. Paul's High School Archive
Music is one of the best ways to lift the mood of a crowd. Musicians at St. Paul’s have lent their talents to the Crusaders in a number of ways over the years.
In 1944, St. Paul’s formed its own Sea Cadet Brigade. The early R.C.S.C.C. Crusaders engaged in a diverse training program including knot-tying, seamanship, colour guard, and, of course, a Crusader Marching Band. This early marching band, however, was more likely to march in a Trafalgar Day Parade than at a football game.
The Crusader Corps Band, April 1958. St. Paul's High School Archive.
The band program at St. Paul’s seems to have floundered after the move to the Tuxedo campus in the 1960s, existing mainly as support for drama programs. Under band directors Danny Carroll and Greg Lindahl, however, the program began to grow in the 1980s and created sub-programs including the “Sports band,” sometimes called the “Pep band” or, whimsically, the “Non-marching marching band”
Danny Carroll and a small number of band students, 1985. St. Paul's High School Archive.
By the 90s, band students had created a tradition of playing at homecoming games that continues today.
Image: The St. Paul's band playing at Homecoming, 1994. St. Paul's High School Archive.
In September of 2015, St. Paul’s unveiled its new mascot, Captain Cru, at the annual Walk event. Students had voted on the square-jawed mascot’s name a week prior. Captain Cru, or Captain Crusader, resembles the knight seen on the school’s coat of arms.
Image: Students react as Captain Cru is unveiled, September 2015. St Paul's High School Archive.
Crusaders fans have often outnumbered opponents' fans in the stands, sometimes many times over.
Image: A fan holds up signs for "defense" at the championship game, 2019. St. Paul's High School Archive.
Three spectators look on worriedly.
St. Paul's High School Archive, 1966.
This student "went ape" for the Crusaders during a 1975 pep rally.
Image: Winnipeg Free Press, Nov 1, 1975.
When the football season was first established in the United States, they probably weren't thinking about the cold Novembers up in Canada! Fans often have to bundle up while watching the final games of the season.
Image: Cold spectators ca. 1982. The Winnipeg Sun.