Native teams shut out in minor leagues

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Edmonton's Native youth need some breaks if they're to get a crack at playing in the city's minor leagues, says Renee Houle of the Canadian Native Friendship Center (CNFC).

There are too many barriers to their entrance, according to the CNFC program director.

There are no Native teams in the minor fast ball, hockey and soccer leagues, because there aren't enough kids in each zone to make up the teams, he said.

Leagues insist teams in each of the five zones consist of minors from that zone.

Houle intends to lobby to have the rule changed, so teams could be fielded consisting of players from different city zones.

Another barrier, he noted, is that most Native youths come from needy families.

"There are allot of kids, looking in from the outside, who don't have these opportunities," said Houle. "There are no minor teams for them because there aren't enough teams who can afford it."

The families are surviving on social assistance, taking post-secondary schooling or having tough times, he noted.

Since it costs nearly $300 to register a child with a minor team, enrolling three children could set the family back as much as $900, said Houle, who plans to meet the multicultural department of Edmonton Parks and Recreation to outline the problems faced by Native children.

"From there we will go to the sport associations and identify the problem to them and see how they react," Houle said.

"But it's going to be very tough, it's going to be very hard because we are starting something new and there will be allot of friction between (us and) the sports' association."

The CNFC will form a minor sports board by the end of February to find funding, coaches and facilities for future CNFC teams.

Native support is important for the plan to work, Houle said.

"Parental involvement must be there for things like this to happen," he added.

"If we have good participation - heavy involvement - the (minor leagues), the recreational government agencies will have to seriously look at us."

The CNFC will find it impossible to enter the Edmonton Minor Soccer League Association, according to executive director Rick Valentine.

The association's affiliation with the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues binds them to form teams from "community leagues with community league names," Valentine said.

"The players are (from) within those communities."

The system makes sure the players picked up by each community league are paid members of the league - ensuring a spot for them on the team, regardless of ability, because emphasis is on house-league recreational soccer instead of competition.

"If we open it up for ethnic groups to choose just players from anywhere within the city, teams that we established now could do the same thing. There would be nothing but battles for players - players left out, lost in the system and everything else," Valentine said.

"I think it would hurt allot more players than it benefited."

Valentine suggested the CNFC contact the Edmonton Inner-District Youth Soccer Association. Teams can draw a team up from their own zone and a limited number of players from other zones.

The Edmonton Minor Hockey Association could not be reached for comment. The association is divided into five city zones. As part of Minor Hockey Week, a nine-day hockey tournament, which began Jan. 12 runs to Jan. 21. Taking part in the over 700 games are 396 teams and 5,600 players, who range in age from 7 to 21.