MANITOULIN—Several Manitoulin First Nation hockey players, as well as coaches and general managers, have been selected to the male and female Aboriginal Under-18 Ontario team for the 2024 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships.
Two Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory (WUT) players have been selected for the Team Ontario female squad, including Ava Assinewai and Mackenzie Ferguson. Sequoia Nebenionquit, who has family ties to Wiikwemkoong, has been named to the team as well. Tommie Lee Recollet of Wiikwemkoong is a coach on the team.
Kyle Ferguson of the WUT has been selected for the Team Ontario male team, along with Kohyn Eshkawkogan of M’Chigeeng First Nation. Ashton Pitawanakwat of Wiikwemkoong has been named as an alternate on the team. Head coach and assistant coach of the team are Brendan Biggers and Brent Assinewai respectively, both of Wiikwemkoong, along with Dustin Peltier who is returning as general manager of the team.
Mr. Peltier explained the players were chosen for the teams “through a combination of tryouts and recruitment. During this year’s Little Native Hockey Tournament 150 male and female athletes were on hand for a two-day tryout (along with a camp in Thunder Bay). Staff of both teams have also been actively recruiting the team members.
The 2024 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships will take place May 6-12 in Grande Prairie, Alberta.
