Chilliwack - Ice Hawks Ringette Program
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Ice Hawks Ringette Program
The Ice Hawks Indigenous ringette program is open to youth aged 7-21 who identify as Indigenous. Held at the Chilliwack Coliseum on Wednesdays over ten weeks in the fall for camp 1 and ten weeks in the winter for camp 2, participants learn to skate, get to play ringette with each other, and interact with other ringette players and coaches. When they arrive to the rink, players pick up a full set of ringette gear to borrow and receive a free skate rental.
Since 2018 the Chilliwack Ringette Association has been building a relationship with Skwá First Nation and the Indigenous Sport and Recreation Council (iSPARC) who have created a program together called “Ice Hawks Ringette.” The program introduces Indigenous youth to ringette in a low-barrier, inclusive, and culturally safe environment. There are no costs for the participants.
The collabroation started with an outdoor gym ringette session held in a lacrosse box and has developed over the years to include the acquisition of gym ringette equipment for the Skwá First Nation community centre, and more recently, to on-ice learn-to-play camps.
In 2023 the program sought and received funding to purchase 20 full sets of new gear so that participants can be equipped and fully immersed into ringette for the 2024-25 camps. Funding was made possible through the support of Sport Canada through Ringette Canada’s Indigenous Ringette Pilot Project. The project’s goal is not only to support the Ice Hawks program’s equipment needs, but also to take what’s learned in Chilliwack and apply it in other communities who would like similar programs.
The Ice Hawks team consists of Elia Lockhart, Stella James, Shannon Bettles, Dyan Kinar, Mike Kinar, Sidney Crowe, Emma Kinar, Aveline Chris, and Breanne Josephine. Funding and in-kind support is provided by iSPARC, Ringette BC, Ringette Canada, Lower Mainland Ringette League, Chilliwack Ringette Association, and the Skwá First Nation.
Indigenous youth interested in joining should contact Stella James: stella.james@skwah.org
