Salish Storm Hockey designs barbecue and ball hockey for IndigiNews

Salish Storm Hockey, a non-profit organization of indigenous peoples based in Nanaimo, intends to do so to organize an event next week in honor of the Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

The event will include a barbecue, ballball and the unveiling of artist Luke Marston’s new Salish Storms logo and will be held at 740 Howard Street in Nanaimo from 1pm to 4pm. September 30.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission 94 Calls to action contains a call to the government “act ensure the long-term development and growth of Indigenous athletes by continuously supporting Indigenous games in North America. ”

The Salish Storm Founded in 2019, the Hockey Association was established as a community development initiative in response to this call to encourage indigenous children and youth to participate in hockey. Salish Storm Hockey is the only one of its kind in the middle of the island, and it welcomes indigenous players among those already six and 19 years old.

Alan MacDonald, president of the Salish Storm Hockey Association, says the organization was created to respond to small indigenous hockey players who are represented in various small hockey associations.

“A few players play small hockey, but most are brand new on ice,” MacDonald tells IndigiNews.

Salish Storm Hockey has started with ball hockey and inline hockey slowly by building funding and hockey space. Now, in 2021, all the equipment is available, and the team plans to build skills for skating, shooting and teamwork.

Their first event of the season featured more than forty children from various communities, including Penelakut Island, Stzuminus, Snuneymuxw, Qualicum and Snaw-Naw-As, as well as indigenous families living in the municipalities of Nanaimo and Ladysmith, MacDonald says.

Hockey is popular, but it is often not available, he explains.

A child can come to us, he has no experience, no equipment and no idea other than that they want to play hockey. And we take care of them. And we see them through it, he says.

The association is working to develop a parental volunteer coaching program starting in 2022, he adds.

Currently, Salish Storm Hockey aims to have one coach for every four children, an average of ten coaches. MacDonald is not indigenous, and about 50 percent of current volunteers are indigenous, he says.

Next week’s barbecue and ball hockey day will grow into “leaders and sponsors” of the many volunteers, local government, made possible by the progress and achievement we have made from a start-up ball hockey team to ice / roller and ball hockey platforms throughout the year. event page.

Our Truth and Reconciliation Event on September 30 It aims to acknowledge that reconciliation is happening, and this is an example of that, MacDonald says.