“Indian John” Russeau: John was born near Solon Springs and graduated from Superior High School in 1905.  In the fall he played football for the Hayward Indian team and attracted the attention of a Carlisle Indian Industrial Institute scout who came to the reservation.  At Carlisle he entered a vocational training course in tinsmithing and carriage painting.  While at Carlisle, John played football for the legendary coach, Glenn “Pop” Warner from 1906 through 1910, a period when the school in Carlisle, PA was building up its highest reputation as a giant-killer among the gridiron powers of the east.  Two of John’s teammates were the immortal Jim Thorpe and the famous “Lone Star” Dietz.  John played at tackle and end on both sides of the line and scored two touchdowns, one  on a 20 yard pass reception against Baltimore College in 1906 and the other on a fumble recovery in the end zone against Carlisle Prep College.  In 1910, Carlisle defeated a highly favored Harvard team, defeated Yale 6 to 0 and held a Pennsylvania powerhouse to a 12-12 tie.  In 1907 he played against the Rice Lake High School football team when he joined the Hayward Indian team for one game while at home recuperating from an injury received in the Carlisle-Princeton game. Following football, John served overseas during World War I as a volunteer with the Canadian Army in France.  In 1919 he married British war bride, Lillian Furner in Sussex, England and returned home to the reservation in Reserve.  After one year they moved to Rice Lake to make their living and raise their family of seven children. While in Rice Lake, “Indian John” boxed in the 1920’s under the name of “Black Jack”.  As a Chippewa Indian, John was a brave who made good in the white man’s world.  He loved children and he chatted with literally thousands of them on the streets of Rice Lake during his 50 years in the city he called his home.  His children and many grandchildren grew up in Rice Lake. His grandfather served with the Union Army in the Civil War.  His ancestors knew this territory like the back of their hands.  John Russeau was the one individual who, down the decades, represented his heritage well, more than any other person in Rice Lake. A football field was named in his honor on April 26, 1991 at Clanton Park in Rice Lake for youth flag football and adult football.  “Indian John” Russeau passed away on October 30, 1969.

Larry Sharp: Larry graduated from Rice Lake High School in 1966.  He was an outstanding wrestler at Rice Lake High School where he won Heart of the North and regional championships.  At UW-Barron County, he won a state wrestling championship in 1972 and was a varsity letter-winner at UW-Stevens Point where he graduated in 1975. Larry has received World, National, State and Local recognition as an outstanding curler in that he, as skip, has won four senior curling team national championships since 2004, a state championship in 2009, and a silver medal at the World’s Senior Curling Championship in Gavle’ Sweden. He chaired and played in the Senior World Qualifier event in Rice Lake in 2009, and his team won the Wisconsin State Senior Championship in January of 2010.  He has been a member of the Rice Lake Curling Club since 1976. He has also been the RLCC’s ice keeper and chairman of the ice committees since 1981 and is currently 1 of 4 USCA National Ice Keeper Level II technicians.  In 1983 he personally installed the first artificial ice system for the RLCC and in 1988 as chairperson he spearheaded the new state of the art curling facility in Rice Lake that is still rated the best ice in the United States.  From 1999-2000 he was president of the WI State Curling Association.  In 2001, he brought the USCA Mixed National Championships to Rice Lake and chaired the event and also received an award from the USOC for working with the Olympic curling teams on RLCC ice.  In 2002 he was nominated for the USCA National Ice Keeper position and from 2007-09 he was the president of the RLCC. In 1975 Larry coached the girls volleyball team for Marshfield High School.  In 1982 he was president of the Rice Lake Adult Softball Association.  In 1996 as president of the Rice Lake Booster Club, he began the first tailgate parties.  He served for 14 years and started Petunias Unlimited in Rice Lake.  He co-founded and chaired Walleyes for Tomorrow in Rice Lake for six years.  He received the Distinguished Service Award for 25 years from the Indianhead Chapter of Ducks Unlimited and was the recipient of the Rice Lake Community Service Award in 2001.  He has also been a member of the Rice Lake VFW Military Honor Guard for eight years. He is a Vietnam veteran, having served in the USAF, 1967-71 and currently resides in Rice Lake.