New hockey tournament in Sioux Lookout, Lac Seul promotes respect
Northern Youth Hockey Championships focuses on health and wellness for players, visitors
Young hockey players in northwestern Ontario will have a chance to play in a new tournament this winter, with the goal of building both hockey skills and life skills.
The Northern Youth Hockey Championships event is planned for Feb. 8 to 14 in Lac Seul First Nation and Sioux Lookout, and will feature six age divisions, from novice to juvenile. Teams will come from remote First Nations north of Sioux Lookout.
The focus is on health and wellness of players, according to the volunteer committee behind the tournament.
"You see the excitement the youth have and they want to play hockey," said organizer Chris Lawson. "Hockey is great, but after hockey what are you going to do? That's why we had the idea to promote education."
An education and career fair will be a key off-ice component of the tournament, he added.
On the ice, players will be recognized each game for their sportsmanship and an all-star game in each of the older age divisions will encourage respect, Lawson said.
"Our vision for that all-star game is that we'd have different kids from different communities to come together to play together to become friends and to be respectful to each other," he said.
Lawson said the values he learned from playing hockey helped him become a leader in his community and he hopes the tournament can instill "honesty, respect and good sportsmanship" in young people as part of this tournament.
As well, he said, organizers are practising transparency, promising sponsors and communities a full accounting of their expenditures on such things as trophies and championship jackets for players.
"We're not here for personal gain or any profit. We're just here to organize a tournament for our youth and to give back," he said.