Akwesasne/Cornwall to host national Native hockey championships

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All-star teams representing various regions of the country will make their way to Cornwall Island in April for the first-ever, officially sanctioned national championship of Native hockey.

Midget- and bantam-age players (born in the years 1984 to 1987) will represent their regions on all-star teams in the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association sanctioned tournament. Separate competitions for male and female players will produce two national champions. Women's teams will be allowed to carry up to five over-age players, born as early as 1980.

Aboriginal sport bodies in the provinces and territories are responsible for selecting the teams that will compete in the championships.

The event was announced during a press conference at the A'nowara'ko:wa Arena on the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory on Dec. 4. The state-of-the art, 39,000 square foot arena (designed in the shape of a turtle) was built by the band in 1995. It seats 2,500 fans and boasts an NHL size rink. Visible from the reserve arena's parking lot, a 10-minute drive across the St. Lawrence River, is the other venue for the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships, the 5,500 seat Cornwall Civic Complex and Convention Centre.

The tournament will be run by the National Aboriginal Sports Circle (NASC) with help from its Ontario branch and many local individuals and businesses. The week-long event will begin April 21 and wrap up with the two championship games on April 27. Six entries on each side are confirmed so far: one all-star team representing Atlantic Canada, Quebec, northern Ontario, southern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan are confirmed in both the male and female tourneys. NASC officials discovered on Dec. 19 that Alberta will not be able to send teams this year. Organizers hopeAlberta, British Columbia, Yukon, N.W.T. and Nunavut will send teams in 2003.

Former NHL coach of the year Ted Nolan will coach one of the Ontario entries. He has signed a memorandum of understanding with the sports circle to use the tournament as a place to scout for players for Team Indigenous. Standouts will be invited to a national Indigenous select camp in Thunder Bay, Ont. in July.

Former Mohawk Olympian Alwyn Morris joined Akwesasne Grand Chief Mike Mitchell, Nolan, former Montreal Canadien John Chabot and others in announcing the selection of Akwesasne for the inaugural championships.

"This event is unlike other hockey tournaments as it will offer a unique blend of high performance competition in a strong supportive cultural environment," said Morris.

Mitchell hurried home from Ottawa, site of the Assembly of First Nations Confederacy, to attend the press conference.

"It is with great pride and enthusiasm that we accept the honor of hosting the first-ever National Aboriginal Hockey Championships," the grand chief said. "We join with our neighbors, the city of Cornwall, to welcome all participants and spectators to our territory, knowing that for all involved is that this will be an experience of a lifetime."

The tournament is open to only Indigenous players and coaches but welcomes status and non-status First Nations people, Metis and Inuit.