Saddle Lake posing with their championship banner. Photo by Daniel Barker Tremblay.
The inaugural Treaty Six Hockey Championships were in Enoch last weekend which saw teams come from Saddle Lake Cree Nation, Enoch Cree Nation, Sunchild First Nation, Frog Lake First Nation, and Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, competing for the top spot in their respective age brackets.
Pricilla Swampy, a member from the Treaty Six Hockey Council, said a lot of hard work and dedication went into making the tournament happen for the first time.
“I feel really honored…we’ve had this vision for about 20 years to host a hockey championship specific to Treaty 6.”
Tournaments like these, as well as playing hockey in general, can be tough for First Nations to accomplish, Swampy said.
“Not a lot of the First Nations have their own local minor hockey associations,” she added. “We have some players that are playing here that haven’t played in a couple years, and they’re having a blast [at this tournament]. That gives them the encouragement to play hockey again come hockey season in the fall.”
The championships were held at the Twin Rinks venue at the Enoch Cree Nation and the River Cree Resort & Casino. The big game that wrapped up the tournament was the U18 championship game, played between Enoch and Saddle Lake. It was a fast-paced, physical game with lots of action, with Saddle Lake taking the championship game 4-2.
Ethan Makokis, team captain for Saddle Lake, said the victory meant a lot for him.
“I love to be a role model and looking up to Ethan Bear and Zach Whitecloud. It was amazing to be playing against family on the other side and representing Saddle Lake Cree Nation,” he said.
“A lot of Indigenous hockey players don’t get promoted anywhere, so it’s hard to find talent. It’s great that this tournament was organized so we can see that talent, and all these great teams,” he added.
Listen to the full interview with Pricilla Swampy and Ethan Makokis below:
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