ATHA finds new home for championships

The Alberta Treaty Hockey Championships just might have a new home.

The tournament was held in Calgary for its first 10 years. But the majority of the games at this year’s event, which concluded Mar. 31, were staged in Cochrane.

Alberta Treaty Hockey Association president Marty Wildman said
Some off-ice incidents 2012 off-ice incidents that did not involve tournament participants forced Calgary officials to question whether to continuing hosting the event in their city, said Alberta Treaty Hockey Association president Marty Wildman.

“We decided to move it to Cochrane,” he said. “It worked out well.”

The five-day tournament attracted 107 teams, both girls and boys between the ages of five to 17. A dozen First Nations from across the province sent representatives to the event.

The tourney included six boys’ divisions; pre-novice, novice, atom, peewee, bantam and midget. The girls competed in peewee, bantam and midget divisions.

Many of the games were held at the Cochrane’s Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, which features three ice rinks, as well as the Cochrane Arena. Games were also held in Cremona, Tsuu T’ina and Calgary’s Crowfoot Rink.

Wildman said there was concern about how the tournament would be received in Cochrane, which does not have a large Aboriginal population.

“We had a warm reception though from Cochrane,” he said.
The event pumped plenty of money into the local economy. Wildman estimates tournament participants and their families and supporters spent $2.9 million locally during the event.

“Not only did we help (Cochrane) financially but I think we helped put them on the map in terms of Native awareness,” Wildman said.

Cochrane only has a handful of hotels. But Wildman said it was not a huge concern for participants who were not able to secure rooms in the town as they travelled the 20 minutes to Calgary.
“It wasn’t a big deal to drive in and out,” said Wildman, who is a cousin of minor professional hockey player Judd Blackwater, a member of Alberta’s Blood Tribe.

Blackwater spent the 2012-13 campaign with the Las Vegas Wranglers, members of the East Coast Hockey League.

Though a decision has yet to be made, Wildman added tournament officials are leaning towards returning to Cochrane for the 2014 edition.

Wildman is also hoping the success of this year’s tournament inspires officials to bring youth hockey back to Morley, where he is from. Wildman was one of the driving forces behind having youth hockey at Morley’s Stoney Nakoda Nation rink during the 2011-12 season.

Wildman said local officials decided against having another year, this past season. But seeing the nearby Alberta Treaty Hockey Championships just might be enough to change some minds.
“I think it’s a good thing,” Wildman said. “A lot of kids want to get back into it and get serious about hockey.”

Photo caption: (From left:) Gina Crow Chief, Tess Littlechief, Meaghan Simeon of Siksika Rez Rockets. LIttlechief and Simeon also competed on 2013 Team Alberta playing in Quebec in the National Native tournament.