Players sought for Little NHL alumni match
By Sam Laskaris
CHIPPEWAS OF RAMA FIRST NATION – For the second straight year, an alumni game featuring former Little Native Hockey League participants will be held.
As was the case for the inaugural contest held last December, this year’s match will take place at the Mnjikaning Arena Sports Ki, also known as the MASK Arena, located in Chippewas of Rama First Nation.
This year’s game will be held this Saturday. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
The 2018 alumni match featured about 20 participants.
That match primarily included players who are citizens of Chippewas of Rama First Nation. But one individual from the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation (formerly Cape Croker First Nation) did take part.
Justin York, a youth recreation worker for the Rama Recreation Department, is hoping more players from other First Nations will take part this year.
The main promotion of the game, however, has been from a department Facebook post last month.
“We’re hoping they will see us on the Facebook page and come join us,” York said.
A year ago, the youngest participant in the alumni game was 15. And York said the oldest player would have been in the mid-40s.
“We just go out there and have fun for an hour,” York said. “There is no age limit on how high we will go. There is no contact and no slapshots so nobody gets hurt. It’s just a nice pickup game and all about having fun.”
York added organizers will make up the teams on the spot, visiting the dressing room before and handing out either a dark or light jersey to participants.
The Little Native Hockey League tournament, more commonly known as the Little NHL, has been staged for the past 48 years.
A record 227 teams competed at the 2019 tournament, held this past March in Mississauga.
First Nations from across the province take turns hosting the prestigious youth tournament, the largest Indigenous hockey event in Ontario.
The Chippewas of Rama First Nation have never hosted the tournament.
“It would be more than we could handle,” York said.
Though various First Nations host the event, the tournament needs to be held in a large centre these days because numerous rinks are required to stage all of the games and participants and their families and supporters need to have nearby hotels to stay at.
As a result, the Little NHL has been staged in Mississauga every year since 2013. The 2020 and 2021 events will also be in Mississauga, located just west of Toronto.
Though Chippewas of Rama First Nation hasn’t hosted the tournament, it does traditionally send a number of its squads to the event. The First Nation had seven of its clubs take part in the 2019 tournament.
“We usually do pretty well,” York said. “We’ve got some championship banners in the A, B and C divisions…And our peewee girls team won its A championship this year.”
York added the MASK Arena could one day be hosting more than just a Little NHL alumni game.
“We’re being asked now to try and host adult tournaments,” he said. “We’re trying to figure out how to host a [Little NHL] alumni tournament.”
Those interested in playing in Saturday’s alumni game are encouraged to contact York at (705) 325-3611 ext. 1447.