Combined Rama/Curve Lake entry captures silver medal at Little NHL

By Sam Laskaris

MISSISSAUGA – One of the best parts about the Little Native Hockey League tournament is making new friends.

That was certainly the case this year for one of the participating squads in the Midget girls under 18 category at the largest Indigenous youth hockey tournament, which wrapped up this past Thursday in Mississauga.

Since neither First Nation had enough players to ice their own squad, Rama First Nation and Curve Lake First Nation joined forced to enter a club in the division, at the tournament which is often simply called the Little NHL.

Chippewas of Rama First Nation Chief Ted Williams served as the head coach of the team. Williams said the squad also included players from Saugeen First Nation, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory and one individual from the Temiscaming area.

Despite the fact the majority of the players did not know each other prior to the tournament, the Rama/Curve Lake side advanced to the A championship in its eight-team division.

Team members, however, had to settle for silver medals after they were blanked 3-0 by the Six Nations Lady Hawks in their final, held Thursday at Iceland Arena.

“As for the concern that we had never played together as a unit, we did very, very well,” Williams said. “They learned and the gelled as the tournament came on.”

Since Rama did not have enough players to form its own squad, Williams said it only made sense to approach Curve Lake, as the two First Nations are sister communities.

“It was easy for them to call on us or for us to call on them,” he said.

Williams said his charges obviously would have preferred to win their category. But settling for silver medals was indeed an accomplishment.

“They’re all very, very proud of themselves,” he said. “I’m very, very proud of them. It was a real team effort and we’ve got some stellar people on this roster. And it was my honour and my pleasure to be the head coach.”

Victoria Sawyer, a centre with the club, said she only knew the four other Rama members prior to the start of the tournament.

But she plans to keep in touch with the rest of her teammates and new friends.

“We’ve all added each other [on social media] and have gotten phone numbers so we’ll keep in touch,” said Sawyer, a 16-year-old who attends Orillia Secondary School. “It’s a good group of girls.”

Despite the unfamiliarity with each other, Sawyer said the Rama/Curve Lake squad had lofty expectations for the event.

“We came in with a positive mindset and we were hoping to win,” she said. “But we fell a little short out there.”

A total of 184 squads participated in this year’s tournament. This marked the first time the Little NHL had been staged since 2019.

The event had been cancelled in each of the past three years because of the pandemic.

“This week is a very special week for First Nation communities right across Ontario,” Williams said. “This is a week where communities forget about politics and the challenges of the communities. They come for a week to support their youth.

“It’s a chance for all of us to come together in a unified manner to share the love of the game, the sport and encourage and love our own members and our own community. That’s what it’s all about. And that’s how you build strong communities, with events like this.”