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Image Credit: ADOBE STOCK
May 13, 2024 - 10:35 AM
The 2025 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships is going to take place in Kamloops.
The City of Kamloops and Tk?emlúps te Secwépemc announced in a press release today, May 13, the city is hosting the tournament from May 5 to 10 next year.
The National Aboriginal Hockey Championships brings together elite Indigenous male and female players from all around the country.
"As the proud host of the upcoming National Aboriginal Hockey Championships, we are honoured to welcome elite Indigenous hockey players from across Canada to our city. This event not only showcases exceptional talent but also celebrates cultural unity and pride," Tkwenem7íple7 Justin Gottfriedson, acting Kúkpi7, Tk?emlúps te Secwépemc said in the release.
B.C. has hosted the tournament twice before, the last time it was in Cowichan Valley in 2017.
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“As Canada’s Tournament Capital, the City of Kamloops is excited to host this elite, under-18 Indigenous hockey competition,” Kamloops councillor Bill Sarai said in the release. “This tournament highlights our relationship with Tk?emlúps te Secwépemc, whose unceded ancestral lands we occupy, alongside our dedicated community partners and volunteers. Welcoming Indigenous athletes, coaches, and families from diverse communities, we aim to amplify Indigenous voices and the beauty of the local Secwépemc culture and the culture of every athlete at the games.”
The tournament is being funded by grants from the BC Ministry of Tourism; $80,000 from a Major Sport Event Hosting grant, and $22,000 from a BC Fairs, Festivals, and Events Fund grant.
"We are very excited for the City of Kamloops and Tk?emlúps te Secwépemc to be hosting this prestigious national championship. Kamloops will provide the perfect backdrop for the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships and through the strong partnership between the city and Tk?emlúps te Secwépemc participants and spectators will experience a unique blend of elite competition and culture,” Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council chief executive officer Rick Brant said in the release. “For Team BC, it will be a special opportunity to compete for a national title in front of a home crowd.”
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