‘Go Riders!’: Sask. family shares 75 years of green & white pride

For the Mongovius family, the Saskatchewan Roughriders are more than just a team — they are the source of countless memories, all tied to a single, timeless phrase: “Go Riders!”

As the Roughriders prepare for a do-or-die showdown this weekend against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the Saskatoon family is brimming with excitement and anticipation.

The Mongovius clan, led by 93-year-old Ethel “Nana” Mongovius, have been living and breathing Rider pride for decades.

Nana has been a Roughriders fan for a remarkable 75 years. Her loyalty runs deep, and that commitment is evident in her long-standing role as a season ticket holder, a title she’s held since 1998.

Nana has become well known throughout the CFL as a die-hard Saskatchewan Roughriders fan. In 2020, the trading card company Upper Deck created a custom “super fan” card for the football enthusiast. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

But it’s not just about the games themselves — for Nana, the Roughriders have always been a way to bring the family together. Whether it’s a trip to see the team in person or a cozy viewing party to watch the game on the big screen, the Riders are at the heart of the family’s gatherings.

Her sister, 85-year-old Pat Morris — affectionately known as “Aunty Pat” — shares the same enthusiasm for the green and white. Aunty Pat’s passion for the Riders ignited after attending her first Grey Cup in 2007. Since then, she’s been hooked.

“I started watching the football games and enjoying them very much,” Aunty Pat said. “Now I’m a season ticket holder too! I have been for a few years, and I intend to keep on going.”

Nana and Aunty Pat can often be found side by side at Rider games, wearing their iconic sequin hats with feathered brims. The pair was captured in a painting by Lorelie Morris. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

Nana, who has travelled far and wide in support of her team, recalls one of her most memorable journeys. “In one year, I went and visited every stadium,” she said, reminiscing about her cross-country tour of Canadian Football League stadiums in 2001.

The family even holds an unofficial family reunion in Winnipeg every year, with relatives from far and wide travelling to take in the Banjo Bowl.

Though Nana and Aunty Pat won’t be making the trip to Winnipeg this weekend, the family is hosting a viewing party to cheer on their beloved Riders.

Nana’s daughter Arlene Mongovius, a season ticket holder since 1986, says the games are an excuse to celebrate together. “It gives us an opportunity to coalesce around something that we can all agree with — and that’s ‘Go Riders!’”

Throughout her decades as a football fan, Nana has collected dozens of pins. She keeps many of them on this Saskatchewan Roughrider hat that belonged to her late husband. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

Mongovius reflected fondly on the decades of memories made with her mom and aunt, all while watching the Riders. “My mom’s 93 years old, and I still get to travel across the country with my mom and my 85-year-old aunty,” she said. “It’s been decades of family fun.”

As this weekend’s crucial game approaches, there’s an undeniable sense of optimism within the family. “There’s something really special about this version of the Rider team,” said Mongovius. “When one of the players has a bad game, the team rallies around them. It’s kind of a special feeling emanating from the locker room that comes out to us fans, and we can tell there’s been a difference.”

Nana’s daughter Arlene Mongovius, a season ticket holder since 1986, says the games are an excuse to celebrate together. “It gives us an opportunity to coalesce around something that we can all agree with — and that’s ‘Go Riders!’” (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)

“We just pray that our prayers will be answered,” Nana said with a wink when asked about the team’s chances of victory against the Bombers this weekend.

The family is ready to support the team this weekend — as they always have. “We feel like a part of the Rider family, and we feel that Rider pride,” Mongovius said warmly.

This weekend, while the Roughriders face off against the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg, the Mongovius family will be gathered around the television in Saskatoon. Win or lose, one timeless phrase will echo through the house — “Go Riders!”