The CREE Senior Hockey Tournament was not the only tournament held over the weekend of December 8-11. Taykwa Tagamou Nation Recreation also presented its first Annual Aboriginal Hockey Tournament that weekend at the Tim Horton Events Centre in Cochrane, Ontario.
The inaugural edition of the tournament saw 12 teams vying for a top prize of $18,000. All proceeds from the tournament will go to fund programs run by the Taykwa Tagamou Nation Recreation department.
“The tournament is a high-calibre hockey tournament, with most players having played in the OHL, university varsity hockey, and NHL farm teams,” said Christopher Hunter, Taykwa Tagamou Nation’s Recreation Director, who has worked for five years to bring this event to life.
The Sudbury Coppercliff Hawks won the tournament in a thrilling double overtime victory over the Moose Factory Scrappers and took home $18,000 in prize money. While the Scrappers, who were Class A champs at the 2010 CREE Senior Hockey Tournament, took home $8000 in prize money as tournament finalists.
The consolation match saw Mistissini take home a cash prize of $6000 by defeating the Moosonee Cree Aski by a score of 3-0 in an exciting “winner take all” game.
Not unlike the CREE Senior Hockey tourney, the objective of the tournament is to raise funds for Taykwa Tagamou Nation Recreation programs and to sponsor exceptional athletes and students who wish to pursue athletics and academics outside their communities.
To strengthen the fundraising effort, tournament attendees also enjoyed a Monster Bingo and concert, which took place at the Tim Horton Events Centre during the tourney. Although a final figure of how much money was raised was not available at press time, the tournament was successful enough for planning to begin to bring it back in 2012.
Concerns have been expressed by both organizers and hockey players about the Taykwa Tagamou Nation and CREE Senior tournaments taking place on the same weekend. However, such a conflict is unlikely to occur in future.
“Our committee has decided to run this tournament again, but it will be one week earlier than Val-d’Or’s annual tournament,” said Hunter in reference to the CREE Senior Hockey tournament, which takes place in Val-d’Or and Senneterre, Quebec.
“As a matter of fact, I challenge more Quebec teams to enter the Taykwa Tagamou Nation Aboriginal Hockey Tournament next year if they so choose. But I forewarn them that they will need to stack their team correctly if they wish to win the $20,000 cash prize.”
So the gauntlet has been laid down and the challenge made. And that is good news for Native hockey players and fans in both Ontario and Quebec who look forward to these tournaments as the first real signs of winter and the approaching holiday season.
