GRAND BANK, NL – Since returning to the Burin Peninsula a year and a half ago, I’ve noticed that things are very different from when I was growing up here. Little by little, many of the things that once defined our communities have disappeared—stores, homes, traditions, heritage, and even sports.
Seeing this motivated me to get involved in anything I could that might help stimulate new growth and community engagement. Unfortunately, I have often been met with complacency and resistance. It seems that since the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdowns of 2020, many people have simply stopped believing that positive change is possible. Participation in community and social activities has declined, and rebuilding that spirit has proven to be a challenge.
Because of that, I’ve had to look beyond my own hometown and work with neighbouring communities to help bring some of these ideas to life. Thankfully, those efforts have been encouraging. Most recently, I’ve become involved with the Grand Bank and Fortune soccer associations, where exciting things are beginning to happen.
Before I go any further, though, it’s worth explaining how all of this began.
While sorting through several old boxes of newspapers and scrapbooks that I had put together during the 1980s and 1990s, I started sharing photographs of newspaper clippings on social media. Almost immediately, I began receiving messages from people expressing how much they appreciated the nostalgia and the memories those articles brought back. Encouraged by the response, I continued digging through the archives, searching for more stories that celebrated our local history.
Then one evening, I received a message from an unexpected source. He told me he had recently been golfing with several people from Grand Bank and Fortune, and that their conversations had rekindled their passion for soccer. Soon after, I began hearing the same story from more and more people. It became clear that there was still a deep affection for the game throughout the region.
That was when the wheels really started turning.
Not long afterward, discussions began between myself and representatives from the Grand Bank and Fortune soccer organizations. I approached them with the idea of organizing a Grand Bank Geebees and Fortune Apollos Soccer Reunion.
Because of time constraints, we knew we couldn’t organize the full-scale event we envisioned for this summer. Instead, we’ve planned a smaller reunion that will take place during Grand Bank Days this August. At the same time, we’re already working on plans for a much larger celebration next summer that will properly recognize the incredible soccer history of both communities.
To understand why this reunion matters, it’s important to appreciate the remarkable history of the Grand Bank Geebees and the Fortune Apollos.
Soccer in Grand Bank can trace its roots all the way back to 1902, when local players walked four miles to Fortune to play a match against the neighbouring community. Over the decades that followed, particularly from the 1940s through the 1970s, Grand Bank established itself as one of the premier soccer communities on the Burin Peninsula and in Newfoundland.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the Geebees developed many outstanding players, earning a reputation as one of the province’s strongest clubs. After winning their second First Division Provincial Championship in 1962—what is now known as the Challenge Cup—several veteran players retired or stepped aside, allowing a talented group of younger players from the successful junior program to move into the senior ranks.
In 1970, Grand Bank hosted the First Division provincial finals, where the Geebees staged a thrilling comeback to defeat a St. John’s club by a score of 3-2.
The town opened a brand-new regulation-size soccer field in 1972, and after adjusting to the larger playing surface, the Geebees captured their fourth—and ultimately final—First Division provincial championship in 1974. That same year, they proudly represented Newfoundland in the National Challenge Cup.
The Fortune Apollos have an equally rich history.
Like Grand Bank, Fortune’s soccer tradition dates back to 1902, when the two communities regularly competed against one another, forever intertwining, both communities.
Historical records show that throughout the following decades, Fortune participated in exhibition matches against teams from across the Burin Peninsula, including St. Lawrence, Lawn, Burin, Marystown, Garnish, and Lamaline.
By the 1950s, Fortune was competing in the Peninsula Soccer League, but it wasn’t until 1967 that the town truly made history.
That year, Fortune fielded an exceptional junior team that went undefeated through a ten-game regular season before defeating St. Lawrence to capture the Burin Peninsula Championship. The victory earned them a place in the Provincial Junior Championship against the defending champions, the St. John’s Guards. Fortune shut out the Guards 3-0 to claim the community’s first-ever provincial soccer championship.
The success continued throughout the 1970s, when the Fortune Apollos won three Provincial B Championships. From 1986 to 1990, the town added five Provincial Masters Championships to its impressive record.
In 1995, the Apollos captured the Provincial Senior A Championship. Sadly, following the 1996 season, the local soccer association folded because of declining player numbers, and organized soccer in Fortune has never fully recovered.
Today, however, there is reason for optimism.
The response to the upcoming reunion has been overwhelmingly positive, and it has reminded many people just how important soccer once was—and can be again—to our communities.
Yes, our population has declined, and the level of competition isn’t what it once was. But those challenges are not impossible to overcome. Every community grows by taking small steps, and every successful movement begins with people who are willing to believe that things can improve.
We need more initiatives like this—not only in sports, but throughout our communities. Progress is still progress, no matter how small. Growth is still growth. By celebrating our past, we can inspire future generations to become involved, rebuild community pride, and ensure that the rich sporting heritage of the Burin Peninsula is never forgotten.
