With the support of Hockey Canada, Canadian Tire and TELUS, youth from Metro Vancouver’s South Asian community has got an opportunity to learn the basics of ice hockey and hit the ice in advance of the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship at Langley Events Centre on Sunday December 23rd.
Hockey Canada, Canadian Tire and TELUS, in cooperation with Kids Play Foundation, invited the South Asian community to the LEC this coming Sunday, where teams participated in the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship practiced and played pre-competition games. The goal of this community skate is to invite South Asian youth, who may have never played organized hockey before, to actively engage in the sport. Apna Hockey, a South Asian community based hockey school, provided skating, hockey skills and off-ice training clinics to youth.
“Our goal is to build upon the very strong connection between the South Asian community and the sport of hockey, “says Riley Wiwchar, director of the 2019 World Junior Hockey Championship. “The South Asian community has a very rich history in the sport of ice hockey, with a number of excellent players coming from the Metro Vancouver area specifically. Hockey Canada strongly believes in inclusion, we hope that this community skate helps to inspire the next generation in the community to learn about and participate in the sport of ice hockey.”
As a result of the generous contributions from the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship, Canadian Tire and TELUS, the skills clinics for youth were free of cost. Participants were provided with ice skates and hockey equipment for the on-ice sessions at no cost. However, participants were encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the Langley School District’s Hot Lunch program.
The 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship takes place in Vancouver and Victoria from December 26th 2018-January 5th, 2019. For more information, visit www.hockeycanada.ca
