B.C. to host Native nationals

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After being held for its first two years in Akwesasne in eastern Ontario, the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships are heading west.

The tournament will be staged in Prince George from April 18 to 24, 2004. The majority of the matches will be held at the Prince George Multiplex, a facility that has a seating capacity of about 6,000. The rink is home to the Western Hockey League's Prince George Cougars.

Eight male and six female squads participated at this year's championships that concluded in May. Ray Gerow, the chairperson for the 2004 national organizing committee, wants to see those numbers grow. Gerow was the general manager of the only boys' squad from British Columbia at this year's nationals. He hopes to include a British Columbia girls club and a squad from the Yukon and Northwest Territories in 2004. All the teams from last year's championships have indicated an interest in continued participation.

"It's only fair that this event moves around the country," Gerow said. "Sometimes it will be in your backyard and sometimes it's going to be across the country."

Gerow said participating squads realize their travel expenses will vary from year to year, depending on where the tournament is staged. But in order for the tournament to continue to grow, Gerow believes there must be some continuity among competing clubs.

"It cost us an arm and a leg to get out there this year," with expenses totaling about $42,000.

Gerow, who had to relinquish his GM duties for the B.C. club in order to join the organizing committee, said he's hoping things are done a bit differently than they were for the first two nationals.

"I want to make it a family event," he said. "We want all players and their families to come here and enjoy themselves. If we pull it off correctly, hockey is going to be secondary."

Besides the hockey competition, Gerow is hoping tournament participants will all engage in other sporting activities, including perhaps bowling, swimming or snooker events. And he's also hoping to include some cultural events.

"That way all teams can interact with each other off the ice," Gerow said. "We really want to push that end of it."

The national tournament features bantam and midget players. Only those players of Aboriginal ancestry are eligible to compete.

The Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Association of B.C. (ASRA), the leading multi-sport organization for Native people in the province, will lend its support.

"This event will offer our youth the opportunity to showcase their talents and positive energies," said ASRA executive director Alex Nelson.