The city of Grande Prairie was part of history, as the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC) is calling the community home for the next week.
NAHC is a week-long event showcasing two outstanding hockey tournaments where all games are free for the public to attend while fostering cultural unity and pride.
Established by the Aboriginal Sport Circle in 2003, the NAHC brings some of the best Indigenous athletes from across the country. The tournament has also developed NHL talent such as Jordin Tootoo, Micheal Ferland and Brady Keeper; current NHL players Ethan Bear (Washington Capitals), Brandon Montour (Florida Panthers) and Zach Whitecloud (Vegas Golden Knights); and National Senior Women’s Team members Jocelyne Larocque, Brigette Lacquette and Jennifer Rattray. Former NHL Coach of the Year, Ted Nolan was behind the bench of female Team Ontario for NAHC in 2016.
Krista Hodder is the Senior Coordinator of Programs and Events with the Aboriginal Sport Circle and says this tournament provides an opportunity for kids of all different backgrounds and cultures to come together and learn about themselves and others.
The tournament attracts participation from First Nations, Inuit and Metis across thirteen provinces and territories, in some cases, travelling across the country to take part in the week long event. Hodder mentioned the sacrifices made by these kids shouldn’t go unnoticed.
The tournament will close out with their gold medal game on May 11th. Details on the the week and schedule can be found on their website.
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