Deb Huband on Deb Huband:
I think that my competiveness and ability to play consistently were my best attributes. Coming from a basketball background (played for Canadian national team for 11 years- 2 time World Championship bronze medalist, 4th in LA Olympics, captain for 6 years) I loved the freedom of football with the open field and opportunities to use my athleticism to cut, run, jump and make plays on the ball. I loved being a big part of the game as a receiver, safety and kick returner.

Only 5’8 she had “hops” as they say and could out jump most players. She may also have had the strongest hands in the women’s league. In two separate incidents of simeltaneous catches, at Nationals, between Deb and an opponent -- the opponents came away with a broken arm.

“Deb Huband - could be counted on to have 4 people on her and throw it anyway,” says Radar.
"I remember being in Ottawa and playing at Lansdowne/Frank Clare Stadium in the friggin’ snow and throwing TD.s to both Huband and Lynn who made amazing diving catches in the end zone. The spectators were in absolute awe. Who are these woman from BC and how can we beat them?”

Deb joined Mardi Gras in 1986 - the year of their first National Championship.
“I was a very consistent player so no one game stands out. I remember our 1st National Championship win in my first year with the team when it was hosted by BC and we played at Swanguard stadium for the final. It was a foggy wet night and it was the 1st time that we realized that we had a special team.” [See Mardi Gras Entry]

““Another interesting memory was playing in the provincial final and dislocating a finger late in a very close game vs the Kats. I kept the injury quiet and stayed on the field to play the role of decoy. We won the game and then I went to the hospital to have it put back in place and then rejoined the team to celebrate.”

When the team split into two “Hubba” as she was called joined the Meralomas. “We had a great rivalry with Kaban and then after our team split into two, our biggest opponents were each other. Before the split of our team the top players on the other teams included Tracey Hukaluk, Cali O’Brien, Jessica Hayes, Mountain Mary. Once we split up then it was Killer, Trudy, and Lynn.

"In some ways that helped the league but in other ways we destroyed what would have been one of the best teams ever assembled. We had an amazing time on and off the field. We had annualy “talent shows” at the May bowl in Kelowna that included dances, songs, skits, poems and more."

“Laid back Deb!! Smart athlete. Great hands and great nose for the ball. Played rec’ver and Safety. Called D much of the time for Mardis Gras /Meralomas. Her Basketball background helped make her a great receiver. She almost always won the “jump balls”. On “D” she played safety and covered a lot of territory seemingly easily. Always had great position and great reads on the QB,” says her coach Larry Doan.

Deb retired having played on 7 National Championship teams.
I changed professions and my new job coaching at UBC was very busy. Football lost a bit of luster after we tried to re-reunite our teams and make a come back at Nationals. We weren’t getting any younger and priorities shifted but looking back, playing touch football was one of the most fun and rewarding sporting experiences of my life.

"You could just rely on Debbie - you knew if the ball was in her vacinity, she was going to get it. Radar knew this too as they had a connection most people never have. It was as if the ball was on a string from Radar to Debbie."
"

-Andrea Brauner

"Hubba was a great person to play with and against. She was a very courteous player as well as was always willing to offer coaching tips. She was an outstanding receiver, elusive and difficult to defend against. -

-Laurie Ebernal

(I remember) "wheeling her through the airport the next day in a wheelchair meant that her “off-field” performance hadn’t quite matched her on-field performance...

-Tiffany Chester

Commenting on after Nationals celebration in Hull.

"Debbie Huband...Safety and Receiver for Mardi Gras, Labatt’s, Meralomas. A Great athlete. A captain of the National Basketball Team. Superb hands, very smart, one of the best defensive players in the game. A great leader."
"

-Lynn LeClair

"She ran intelligent patterns and new how to shake off a defender...and if that didn’t work she just outbattled them for the ball! She loved playing and I think always had a smile on her face as she was picking off passes and or catching in a crowd."

-Larry Doan

"(Huba): (could do everything, both d and o), she was aggressive in an athletic way, her skill level was so much higher than the oppositions (she brought a will to win from her years of playing on the national basketball team). She was incredibly strong, so as a defender you didn’t want to put you arm in between hers and the ball. She could also out jump most people 3 inches taller than her, she had great timing and amazing hands."

-Marla Britton