ICE TIMES - EDITION 24:08

2024 Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame Gala & Hockey Celebration

The Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame Awards Gala & Hockey Celebration will take place on Saturday, July 20, 2024 at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre in Red Deer. Those interested in buying tickets or sponsoring the event can find those below.

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RED DEER – Eighty athletes are in Red Deer for the 2024 Team Alberta Male Under-16 Summer Camp.

The camp takes place July 1-7 at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre.

Eight goalies, 24 defence and 48 forwards born in 2009 were invited to attend the camp. Athletes invited are vying for a spot on the roster that will be competing in the 2024 WHL Cup.

TEAM ALBERTA MALE U16 SUMMER CAMP INVITES >

Selections were determined based on the Team Alberta scouting process throughout the 2023-24 season and the 2024 Alberta Cup. From summer camp, a short list will be set, and those players will be scouted with their club teams until the 20 player-roster is named.

In recognition of National Indigenous Peoples Day, Hockey Alberta is proud to share stories from across the province’s hockey community.

When Hockey Alberta partnered up with Indigenous Sport Council Alberta (ISCA) in 2019, the goal behind the partnership was to provide improved and enhanced opportunities for Indigenous hockey participants across the province.

ISCA is the provincial sports body for Indigenous youth in Alberta, who provides funding, opportunities and engagement with the First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities across the province.

Nearly four and a half years later, the two sides have seen growth and development of the sport of hockey in Indigenous communities across Alberta which includes representing Team Alberta at the National Aboriginal Hockey Championship (NAHC).

Al Blackwater, a board member for ISCA since 2018, says the partnership they’ve built with Hockey Alberta has been beneficial for both parties.

“I’m enjoying this relationship that we’ve built with Hockey Alberta, giving Indigenous youth the opportunity to further their skills and seeing how they can compete at elite level hockey,” Blackwater said. “All the minor hockey associations across Alberta, sort of flows through Hockey Alberta and they’re the main channel of the sport in this province. So, it was kind of a no brainer for us to get that assistance and guidance from Hockey Alberta.”

Blackwater added that the biggest area of growth that he’s noticed has been regarding the NAHC tournament. NAHC is an annual event that provides a forum for elite U18 Indigenous male and female youth and attracts participation from First Nation, Inuit, and Métis across the 13 provinces and territories.

Both Alberta’s male and female teams have seen consistent improvements with the female team winning two medals in the four-year span and the male team proving they can compete with any of the other provinces.

“The Indigenous Sport Council Alberta has always been the lead when it comes to the NAHC tournament, but over the years it’s really lacked,” Blackwater said. “I can honestly say there wasn’t really any dollars being put towards it and there wasn’t really any kind of proper structure. It was getting to the point where it was a question of ‘who wants to run Team Alberta?’ With Hockey Alberta and the relationship we’ve built now, it’s been fantastic. I find that one of the best things to come from it has been that Indigenous athletes are looking at Hockey Alberta. Looking at all the different programs Hockey Alberta has … it’s a lot of good opportunities for our athletes, fair opportunities and it’s made life at ISCA a lot easier.”

On top of there being more structure and funding pushed into the Team Alberta NAHC program, Blackwater said it’s also given athletes the opportunity to compete and showcase their skills.

“Kids from the South weren’t really getting looked at and now those doors have opened up for them as well as other kids who maybe weren’t getting their chance,” he said. “There are some elite athletes across Alberta that are now participating in these tryout camps and tournaments, so I think it’s great that we’re trying to make sure we don’t leave anybody out and the youth know they have that opportunity.”

While that area has improved since the partnership, Blackwater says that inclusion and outside financial factors are still things that Indigenous communities face in sports.

“I think when you play that elite sport, it comes down to that financial aspect. I grew up right from the reserve and I had parents that worked hard and allowed me to participate in sports and make it to a higher level. But sometimes there are kids that don’t get that opportunity because it comes down to the money,” Blackwater said. “Hockey is the biggest sport in Canada, but if you want to make it to the elite level, you’ve got to have money and I think that hurts some communities. We get a lot of donations through KidSport or through the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation and if we can provide some funding for our athletes that can help assist them to that next level, then we will. But it’s certainly a challenge for some kids and hopefully we can get to a spot where if you’re good enough, you’ll have all the opportunity to make it.”

The ISCA provides grant opportunities for Indigenous athletes, including the ISCA Elite Athlete Grant Application.

ISCA ELITE ATHLETE GRANT APPLICATION >

Selection camps for the 2025 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships will take place August 8-11, in Red Deer at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. The championship tournament will be held May 5-10, 2025, in Kamloops, British Columbia.

2025 NAHC TRYOUT APPLICATION >

In celebration of Pride Month, Hockey Alberta is proud to share stories from across the province’s hockey community.

If you can play, you can play.

The Calgary Inclusive Hockey Association was formed to create a local hockey organization and social environment with a focus on LGBTQ equality in sport.

The Calgary Pioneers have been playing in the WinSport Hockey Canada League (WHCL) since 2015. They added a second team, the Villagers, in 2017 and are now CIHA’s beginners’ team.

“It’s a space primarily for 2SLGBTQIA+ people to be part of a hockey organization where they can be themselves and be celebrated for that and feel comfortable being who they are in the dressing room, on the ice and around the rink without that fear of discrimination,” said Jason Finnan, President of the Calgary Inclusive Hockey Association. “We create that safe space for them, where they can be exactly who they are, and we’ll support them and create a space for them to enjoy hockey because it’s our national sport and so many Canadians love it.”

Finnan said the association has seen a big uptick in new players over the last year and a half.

“We’ve seen more people join. Specifically trans players, that didn’t feel like they had a space to go and play hockey,” Finnan said. “They didn’t feel like a men’s league was right for them, didn’t feel like a women’s league was right for them either. So, we happily accepted them into our group and are making sure they feel welcome and safe.”

The growth over the past two years is a microcosm of what the association has seen in registration since it began nearly a decade ago. For the first time, CIHA was able to ice a third team last season.

“We’ve bumped up from 20 members to 40 and over the last couple years we’ve been right at the cut off to get a third team, which we were finally able to get last year and have our first season with three teams,” Finnan said. “We have two teams that are beginner and intermediate, and then we have the Pioneers which is our longest standing team and is a little more advanced. We’re currently sitting at 70 members, and we split them between the three teams. We’ve grown a lot in diversity, and I think we’re stronger because of that.”

The CIHA wants people to know that everyone is welcome to join their teams regardless of race or sexual orientation.

“That message of inclusivity goes beyond gender identity or sexual orientation because there are people of other races that may not feel comfortable in the sport, especially if they’re queer as well. It’s a whole other added layer for them” Finnan said. “So, we really try to spread that positive message that everyone is welcome and to feel the best they can in a hockey setting.”

New to the association this past year is the scholarship program. To try and help offset the costs that come with playing hockey, applicants are invited to apply for subsidy between 15 and 50 percent of their yearly hockey fees.

“We got a donation from the NHL when Luke Prokop came out a few years ago,” Finnan said. “So, we used that donation money for our scholarship program to break down that financial barrier for people to get in and play if money is a concern. It’s been a big initiative to take on, but if it gives more people the chance to play our great game, then it is more than worth it.

Prokop, who hails from Edmonton, was drafted by the Nashville Predators in the 2020 NHL Draft. He made pro sports history becoming the first openly gay player under NHL contract. Prokop has spent parts of the past two seasons in the Predators farm system but has yet to suit up in NHL regular season action. Finnan is hoping that there is soon going to be more representation at the professional level, specifically in the NHL.

“I think when we see professional players speak up about these issues or even come out to be their authentic self, I think that really inspires everyone else to feel more comfortable,” Finnan said. “We haven’t really seen any representation currently in the NHL of any openly gay players so I think that would be a massive change to help bridge that gap of homophobia. Even if they’re just allies, it would be helpful for our community and making people feel a little safer and a little less scared.”