Sports Briefs for March 2016

Haitian Native banned from tournament

A 20-year-old who was raised by a family in British Columbia’s Heiltsuk First Nation is disappointed he was banned from participating in a recent All Native Basketball Tournament.

Organizers of the event, which concluded on Feb. 13 in Prince Rupert, B.C., would not allow Josiah Wilson to compete.

That’s because Wilson, who wanted to play for the Heiltsuk Wolf Pack, was born in Haiti. He was adopted in his homeland when he was five months old by a Heiltsuk doctor.

Despite the fact he was raised by an Aboriginal family, tournament organizers prevented Wilson from taking part. They cited a tournament rule which states all competing players must be of North American Indigenous bloodlines/ancestry.

Only those who are at least one-eighth Indigenous (having had at least one Indigenous great-grandparent) were allowed to take part.

Wilson had taken part in the All Native Basketball Tournament, which includes squads from across British Columbia and Alaska, during each of the past two previous years. About 400 players took part at this year’s event.

Wilson had also competed in British Columbia’s All Native Junior Championships twice.

Wilson, who was legally adopted, is registered with the Heiltsuk First Nation and also has a status Indian card.

Concerns about his eligibility were raised this year and that is why tournament organizers investigated and made their decision to exclude Wilson.

Following the tournament Wilson wrote an article in The Globe and Mail about his exclusion from this year’s event. He said he identified himself as being Haitian, Canadian, First Nations, Francophone and Black.

He also wrote that he was frustrated and angry with the decision to ban him. But he is also hoping that organizers will allow him to take part at next year’s All Native Basketball Tournament.

Fleury performs in Edmonton

Theo Fleury will once again showcase his skills in Alberta.

Fleury, a Metis, is perhaps best known for his days as a National Hockey League player with the Calgary Flames. During his 15-year NHL career, Fleury spent portions of 12 seasons with the Flames. He helped Calgary win the Stanley Cup in 1989, his first year as a pro.

Fleury, now 47, is trying to make a name for himself in the music industry. A country singer, Fleury released his debut album this past fall.

He’ll be performing songs from that album titled “I Am Who I Am” at Edmonton’s Century Casino on March 4. Fleury will perform along with his band called the Death Valley Rebels.

Fleury had also made plenty of headlines in 2009, when he co-wrote his autobiography called Playing With Fire. Fleury revealed for the first time in his book that he had been sexually assaulted by his former junior coach Graham James.

Fleury has since become an advocate for sexual abuse victims. Besides Calgary, Fleury also suited up for the Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks during his NHL career. He averaged more than a point per outing during his career.

Fleury appeared in 1,161 matches and earned 1,167 points.

Two nights before the Edmonton concert, Fleury and the Death Valley Rebels will perform at Casino Regina.

The band also has concerts scheduled for a pair of other Alberta venues later in March. They’ll be in Medicine Hat on March 6 and Campbell River on March 11.

Saskatoon hosts nationals

Entrants are being accepted for this year’s National Aboriginal Curling Championships.

The national bonspiel will be staged March 25 to March 28 at the Granite Curling Club in Saskatoon. Organizers are hoping the event attracts 32 men’s and 16 women’s teams.

Though the event is being held in Saskatoon, it is being hosted by the northern Saskatchewan village of Ile-a-la-Crosse in conjunction with the Sakitawak Development Corporation and the Ile-a-la-Crosse Friendship Centre.

Participating teams will be vying for a share of the $22,300 up for grabs. Registration fees cost $500 for men’s teams and $400 for the women’s entrants.

The top eight finishers in each division will end up receiving a cash prize. The men’s winners will be awarded $4,000 while the members of the winning women’s side will share $2,000.

Despite the fact there will be no divisions for younger participants at the nationals, the event will include a youth clinic.

This clinic will be led by Stefanie Lawton, a Saskatoon-based curler. Lawton has been a member of four provincial championship women’s teams in Saskatchewan and has competed in the national Scotties Tournament of Hearts four times.

Lawton’s teams placed fourth at the nationals in all four of her appearances.