UPEI hockey clinic shows a future in 'education and sport' for Indigenous youth

The UPEI Panthers hosted a hockey clinic Friday for Island youth. The varsity athletes and young players had two things in common — a love of the game, and Indigenous heritage.

"Being an Aboriginal person myself, I just thought it was really important to be a role model to these kids and that's what I tried to do today," said Panthers defenceman Owen Hendrick, from Garden River, Ont.

The 21 young people on the ice at MacLauchlan Arena included boys and girls, age 10 to 19, from Lennox Island, Abegweit First Nation and points in between.

Markus Peter Paul, 15, of Scotchfort, was working on his stickhandling and speed.

"I like hockey," he said during a break in drills.

Maybe just a work ethic, and how hard you've got to work to make it where you want to go.— Troy Lajeunesse, UPEI Panthers

The Mi'kmaq Confederacy's Aboriginal Sports Circle organized the clinic with the university, to inspire young players to set their sights on post-secondary athletics.

"It gives a chance to Aboriginal student athletes to come here and play hockey and train with the Panthers," said Leigh Read, community outreach co-ordinator for UPEI athletics. 

"They can see that there's a future in both education and sport."

'Don't get recognized'

The Panthers hockey roster this year includes four athletes with Indigenous roots, including Hendrick, left winger Troy Lajeunesse of Dokis, Ont., Doug Blaisdell from Southwold, Ont., and women Panthers forward Jolena Gillard, of Deer Lake, N.L.

Next Thursday, UPEI will host the national women's university hockey championships. Gillard sees it as a chance to inspire Indigenous girls.

"Indigenous people don't get recognized the way they should," said Gillard.

"There's some good hockey players out there, but you don't see many at university levels."

During Friday's clinic, Lajeunesse spent some time working on faceoff skills with young players, then turned it up a notch as he scrimmaged with older teens. He wants Indigenous youth to get a taste of what competitive sport is all about.

"Maybe just a work ethic, and how hard you've got to work to make it where you want to go," Lajeunesse said.

The Aboriginal Sports Circle is also doing coaching clinics with Holland College, and has held track and field tryouts at UPEI in the past. The program aims to "knock down barriers," according to manager Lynn Anne Hogan.

"Hopefully by being introduced to sport, they're living a healthier life and we can encourage them to stay in school and continue down that path," Hogan said.

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