Harry (xulsi’malt) Manson was born and raised on Vancouver Island as part of the Snuneymuxw First Nation of the Coast Salish People whose traditional territory includes the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, and the Fraser River in British Columbia. Harry is recognized for his leadership as a First Nations athlete and for breaking through racial barriers at the turn of the century. In 1897, Harry participated in his first soccer competition at 18 years of age playing with the Snuneymuxw First Nation team against the Nanaimo Thistles. The Snuneymuxw formed the Nanaimo Indian Wanderers team in 1899 and with Harry as their captain advanced to the semi-finals of the provincial championships that concluded in 1900.  In 1903, Harry was recruited by the Nanaimo All-Stars, who were impressed with his talent, and he became one of three Indigenous athletes to become BC provincial Champions that year.  In 1904, Harry led the Indian Wanderers to a win at the Nanaimo City Championships.

Harry was a strong believer in the principle that you could be successful even when the odds were working against you.  He lived those values as the only player of Indigenous heritage to play on the three Nanaimo premier soccer teams between 1897 and 1905. Harry was aptly named xulsi’malt, meaning One Who Leaves His Mark, and laid the path for the future Indigenous athletes that followed him. He died tragically in a coal train accident in 1912, but his legacy in soccer carries on.