SIOUX LOOKOUT – Sports – In the year 2000, the Little Bands Native Youth hockey Tournament was born. Fourteen years later, the Little Bands Native Youth Hockey Tournament is more popular and stronger than ever. This tournament is what the youth across the North are talking about throughout the year. It is a chance to showcase their hockey skills, make new friends, make their communities proud of them, and most important of all, make their parents proud too.
None are happier and prouder than Mr Stephen Fiddler, founder of LBNYHT from Bearskin Lake. Despite the growing pains, lack of financial support, and lack of capacity, he has continued to work on the tournaments.
Eventually after the second year, Ziggy Beardy of Bearskin Lake joined him. Later on Jethro Tait of Sachigo Lake and Marcel/Agnus Mckay from KI also came to join the team.
This year Levi Samson Beardy of North American Aboriginal Bible College, is the spiritual leader for the tournament, providing morning and closing prayers, praying with teams in locker rooms before their games.
From nine teams of the first year to forty-five teams this year, and a two day tournament the first year to a seven day tournament now, this certainly attests to the success of the tournaments.
This year the games were at the Sioux Lookout Arena and Lac Seul Arena. They are both excellent arenas.
With 45 teams with an average of 17 players and including drivers, coaches, chaporanes and volunteers, this is a lot of responsibility for the tournament organizors.
The timing of the tournament is also very important, because students are involved, it is always scheduled during the teachers’s conference in February, and when the winter roads are open, so that families can drive out and enjoy and be entertained by the young hockey players.
Why the Youth Tournament?
As Mr Fiddler said, during his travels up north, he saw that the youth were not involved in any sports activities. He thought about this need for about three years, and finally decided to start a tournament in Sioux Lookout.
Now it is the youth that are reaping the benefits of his decision. Youth are just happy to be here and to be playing, not necessarily winning. One youth from Pikangikum was overheard saying, “We almost won, we almost won”.
There has been a lot of good sportmanships shown by the players, their concern for other players, the way they play their games and the respect they show to their respective leaders and tournament organizers.
The communities that the youth hockey players come from are isolated and remote. What we take for granted in the cities and municipalities are non-existant such as availability of different sports. In many communities, unemployment is rampant, alcoholism and drug addictions are common and a genuine problem.
It is refreshing for the youth to get away from the daily stresses of their communities and just enjoy themselves. The parents don’t want to see their children and grandchildren to get caught up in drugs and alcoholism.
The youth who are participating here will be going to high schools as their next step progression for their educational pursuits. Often the youth will dropout at earlier stages of high school because they find themselves lacking when it comes to sports in the cities. They often feel intimated and out of place. This tournament will assist them in some way to be willing to join sports where ever they chose to go to school.
The other serious health concern has been the diabetes in our communities. It is with sports and other physical activities that will alleviate this decease. This is a good preventative program and more sports like this should be promoted and supported.
The Organizors should be proud of what they have accomplished, this is something the youth will not forget and which will assist them as they journey through their school years.
To the Little Bands Native Youth Hockey Tournament PLAYERS: We thank you for the most wonderful entertainment, you are truly the YOUNG WARRIORS OF THE NORTH!
Special to NetNewsLedger: For more information and pictures of all the winners, visit: Little Bands Hockey on Knet.
Little Bands Native Hockey Tournament 2014 Results
FINAL STANDINGS
NOVICE DIVISION
1ST LAC SEUL 12PTS
2ND SACHIGO LAKE 6PTS (GA46-GF64)
3RD SANDY LAKE 6PTS (GA46-GF41)
4TH BEARSKIN LAKE 0PTS
ATOMS DIVISION
1ST LAC SEUL 9PTS
2ND SACHIGO LAKE 7PTS
3RD KASABONIKA 6PTS
4TH BEARSKIN LAKE 4PTS
5TH SANDY LAKE 4PTS
6TH DEER LAKE 0PTS
GIRLS DIVISION
1ST BEARSKIN LAKE 11PTS
2ND LAC SEUL 8PTS
3RD SANDY LAKE 5PTS
4TH PIKANGIKUM 0PTS
PEEWEES DIVISION
A SIDE CONFERENCE STANDINGS
1ST SACHIGO LAKE 28-6 = 7PTS
2ND LAC SEUL TEAM BLACK 22-6 = 7PTS
3RD SANDY LAKE 24-9 =6PTS
4TH LAC SEUL TEAM WHITE 29-10 = 6PTS
5TH SLATE FALLS 27-10 = 5PTS
6TH SUMMER BEAVER 12-14 = 5PTS
C SIDE CONFERENCE STANDINGS
1ST BEARSKIN LAKE 12-19 = 2PTS
2ND CAT LAKE 9-36 = 2PTS
3RD WEAGAMOW LAKE 2-23 = 0PTS
4TH DEER LAKE 7-38 = 0PTS
BANTAMS DIVISION
1ST A SIDE : SACHIGO LAKE 12PTS
2ND A SIDE : LAC SEUL 8PTS
3RD A SIDE : BEARSKIN LAKE 7PTS
4TH A SIDE : DEER LAKE 6PTS
5TH C SIDE FINAL : SANDY LAKE
6TH C SIDE FINAL : WEBEQUIE
7TH ELIMINATED : PIKANGIKUM
MIDGETS DIVISION
POOL A
1ST LAC SEUL 3W = 6PTS
2ND SACHIGO LAKE 2W 1L = 4PTS
3RD PIKANGIKUM OTTERS 2L 1T = 1PT
4TH POPLAR HILL 2L 1T = 1PT
POOL B
1ST SANDY LAKE 2W 1T = 5PTS
2ND KASABONIKA 2W 1T =5PTS
3RD WEBEQUIE 1W 2L = 2PTS
4TH PIKANGIKUM HORNETS 3L = 0PTS
POOL C
1ST WUNNUMIN LAKE 3W = 6PTS
2ND KI POSSE JRS 2W 1L = 4PTS
3RD KINGFISHER LAKE 1W 2L = 2PTS
4TH WEAGAMOW LAKE 3L = 0PTS
A SIDE CONFERENCE STANDINGS
1ST LAC SEUL 23-2 = 6PTS
2ND WUNNUMIN LAKE 15-6 = 6PTS
3RD SANDY LAKE 21-3 = 5PTS
4TH KASABONIKA = 14-4 = 5PTS
5TH SACHIGO LAKE 19-4 = 4PTS
6TH KI POSSE JRS 11-6 = 4PTS
C SIDE CONFERENCE STANDINGS
1ST KINGFISHER LAKE 12-5 =2PTS
2ND WEBEQUIE 11-13 = 2PTS
3RD POPLAR HILL 4-14 = 1PT
4TH PIKANGIKUM OTTERS 5-22 = 1PT
5TH WEAGAMOW LAKE 3-24 = 0PTS
6TH PIKANGIKUM HORNETS 2-29 = 0PTS
