By meadowlakeNOW

Local Indigenous hockey players heading to national tournament

Apr 2, 2018 | 6:00 PM

Young Indigenous athletes from across the country will be heading to Membertou, Nova Scotia next month to participate in the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC) including a few from the Meadow Lake area.

Martina Desjarlais, Destiny Fiddler, and Kylie Lariviere will be on the female team. Roddy Ross will be the goalie for the male squad. All have gone through the Meadow Lake Minor Hockey program throughout the years.

There were a series of tryouts held over the course of the last few months, and approximately 20 players from across Saskatchewan made the cuts for the teams.

Desjarlais said she is excited to represent the province. The 14-year old, who will be 15 at the end of this month, has played hockey for 10 years.

“You get to meet new people, have fun and travel with hockey,” she said.

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Her mother Loretta King said the entire family was ecstatic to hear the news late last week.

“I’m absolutely thrilled my child gets to have this experience,” King said. “It’s something a lot of kids don’t have the opportunity to attain. It’s amazing. I’m so proud of our northern kids.”

Fiddler said the next month will be a busy one, as there will be practices, drills and conditioning for the team members to stick to.

“I’m pretty excited to go. I’m looking forward to meeting people and to see the different levels of hockey from all over,” she said.

The 15-year-old has been playing hockey since the age of six. She expects to play offence, but hasn’t been told her position for the tournament. 

She said she is excited to represent not only the province and region, but her home First Nation, Waterhen Lake.

“It’s a pretty good feeling,” Fiddler said. “I’m pretty excited to go because it will be fun.”

NAHC takes place May 5 to 12 near Sydney, Nova Scotia.

kathy.gallant@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @ReporterKath