NDTR Sept 30

On September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a good reminder that sport can help build bridges, advancing reconciliation when everyone is included and has a voice at the table.

This season, the LMRL was pleased to welcome the Ice Hawks Ringette Association as a member. The Ice Hawks are Canada's first ringette club with a mandate for centering Indigenous participants in ringette, while breaking down barriers to participation. The Ice Hawks grew out of a partnership between the Chilliwack Ringette Association and the Skwá First Nation in 2018, which has grown thanks to support from Ringette Canada, ISPARC, Ringette BC, ViaSport, the LMRL, and individual supporters. 

Other members of the ringette community have been proactive in advancing reconciliation together with Indigenous partners. For example, the Port Coquitlam Ridge Meadows Ringette Association has been working with the Katzie First Nation to deliver gym ringette programming for several seasons. They hit the ice for the first time last year!

How can your association work to advance reconciliation? Here are some ways you may start to undertake this work: 

• Encourage your coaches to take courses in working with Indigenous athletes and communities. Some examples are the Aboriginal Coaching Modules and the Indigenous Communities: Active for Life workshop. Courses are offered through the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (ISPARC). 
• Develop a special registration fee structure that reduces barriers for Indigenous participants to ringette. 
• Support your current Indigenous athletes in their ringette careers through learning what supports and recognition opportunities are available for them as they progress through the season. 
• Advocate to the Provincial and National Sport Organizations for ringette to establish an Indigenous Long-Term Participant Development Pathway for ringette, which sets a framework forward for developing Indigenous-centered ringette programming. 
• Reach out to your local First Nations to see if they have youth that would like to try ringette offered in a low-barrier to entry setting. Set up gym or on ice sessions in partnership with Indigenous programmers or youth groups if so. 
• Acknowledge the territories you are on at your ringette board meetings and on your ringette club's website.