Arbour gets inducted

It may have been a few months since the announcement of Allen “Arbour” Diabo joining the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame, but it still left him feeling emotional at the induction ceremony in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, on November 9.

“When we went to the election ceremony where we received our rings, I kind of got emotional, I needed to stop speaking for a minute,” said Diabo.

“It made me feel like a somebody. I feel like I made my community proud.”

Diabo was inducted in the class of 2024 as a “special contributor” for his work as a coach and supporter of the different levels of lacrosse in the community for over 30 years.

That includes a 2005 perfect run with the Kahnawake Juniors, who went 21-0 and won the Quebec Junior Lacrosse League Championship.

Diabo – the only Kanien’kehá:ka inducted this year – was joined by John Fusco, John “JT” Tavares, Mary-Ann “Molly” McIntyre, Bill “Foxy” Fox, and Frank Lawrence.

All but Tavares were in attendance, as he had “previous commitments with the National Lacrosse League (NLL),” said Diabo.

“It is too bad he wasn’t there. John Tavares was one of the best players that ever played,” said Diabo of the current Buffalo Bandits head coach and all-time NLL leader in games played, goals, assists, and points.

Still, Diabo was glad to meet or reunite with some big names from lacrosse’s history that were being inducted that day or were in attendance.

“I knew two of the inductees, they were very happy to see me,” said Diabo.

“I’ve met some people that I haven’t seen in a long time. It was like a big get together.”

Also present were members of Diabo’s family, including his wife, Glenda Albany, as well as his siblings and his grandson.

“I told my grandson, ‘Work hard, play hard, and you never know what’s going to happen in the future,’” said Diabo.

As part of the induction ceremony, Diabo and the other inductees all received rings. On the top of the large ring is the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame Logo as well as diamonds. On the side, it has the words “Hall of Fame,” and “Diabo” carved into it.

Along with the ring, Diabo received gifts from friends from Six Nations: a corn husk doll depicted playing lacrosse, and a dreamcatcher with lacrosse sticks hanging off of it.

Diabo plans on hanging up the dreamcatcher and creating a space for his Hall of Fame items inside his home.

Retired since 2016, Diabo said that he misses some part of the game, but he is satisfied with being retired – although he has popped back in here and there to help coach or manage his grandsons, including at the 2023 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) in Halifax.

“I had to be there, because they were denied in 2020 because of COVID, so they canceled the games. If I did not go, I would lose my last chance to ever watch them play,” said Diabo.

But now, Diabo said he is ready to be a retired hall-of-famer.

“It’s time I just have fun with my family,” said Diabo.

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