Ontario South girls hockey team wins silver at the 2018 Aboriginal Hockey Championships
By Sam Laskaris
MEMBERTOU FIRST NATION – For the first time in the history of the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships, officials from the Little Native Hockey League iced a pair of teams.
Both the female and male clubs were dubbed Ontario South at the tournament, held earlier this month. Nova Scotia’s Membertou First Nation hosted the event, which attracted 10 female and 10 male squads.
The Ontario South girls’ entry, which included plenty of representation from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, returned home with the silver medal. The team lost 5-3 to Manitoba in its gold-medal contest, held May 12.
Meanwhile, the Ontario South boys’ side just missed out on a medal. The team lost 4-1 to Manitoba in its bronze-medal match.
Ontario North clubs also took part in both divisions at the tournament, which annually features Bantam and Midget players. The event, which rotates between locations across Canada, has been held every year since 2002.
Wiikwemkoong’s Marian Jacko, a member of the Little NHL’s executive committee, served as the head coach of the Ontario South girls’ team.
“We are very proud of our elite female athletes who performed exceptionally well as this was their inaugural year together,” she said.
Wiikwemkoong’s Kelly Babstock, who plays pro hockey with the Connecticut Whale in the National Women’s Hockey League, served as an assistant coach for the Ontario South side.
The team’s other assistant coach, Kalley Armstrong, hails from Iroquois Falls. Her grandfather is former Toronto Maple Leafs’ captain George Armstrong.
Meanwhile, former National Hockey League great Reggie Leach, who lives on the Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation on Manitoulin Island, was a team advisor for both Ontario South clubs.
“While Reggie wasn’t on the bench with the coaching staff, he watched every game and provided very valuable insight and strategic advice to each of the teams,” Jacko said.
Jacko added Leach’s words of wisdom proved beneficial to both clubs.
“Reggie also had an opportunity to address both teams prior to games and all the athletes really appreciated that he took the time to speak with them,” she said. “Reggie is admired by the young athletes and they hold in him high regard.”
The Ontario South girls’ team won three out of its four round-robin games. Its lone loss was against Manitoba, a 5-4 setback.
The club kicked off the tournament on a winning note, beating Alberta 8-2. Its other round-robin triumphs were against Team Atlantic 6-1 and Ontario North 7-1.
Ontario South then advanced to its gold-medal match by beating Saskatchewan 5-3 in its semi-final outing.
The club’s roster included three Wiikwemkoong players, Waskoness Williams, Mackenzie Shigwadja and Alex Ferguson.
Other Anishinaabe players on the team included Melanie Young (Dokis First Nation), Lillian George (Nipissing First Nation) and Britney Zack (Garden River First Nation).
Meanwhile, Chico Ralf who is from the Wasauksing First Nation and is the vice-president of the Little NHL executive, served as the assistant coach of the Ontario South boys’ team.
Just like their female counterparts, the Ontario South male entry managed to win three out of its four round-robin contests.
For starters, it had a convincing 8-1 triumph over Quebec-based Eastern Door and the North. It then edged Team North, comprised of players from the country’s three territories, 3-2.
Ontario South then suffered its lone round-robin loss, 9-4 versus Manitoba. But rebounded from that setback to edge Ontario North 2-1.
Ontario South’s gold-medal aspirations came to an end when it was edged 4-3 by Saskatchewan in its semi-final.
Jacko said Little NHL officials were also thrilled with the efforts of its boys’ entry.
“Like the female team, we are equally as proud of our elite male athletes who also performed exceptionally well,” she said.