Cold ice, warm hearts at WASAC youth camp

Even the frigid weather couldn’t chill the warm smiles on Saturday morning, as Indigenous youth from across Manitoba got to take a spin over the ice with some former NHL stars.

That was just one of the weekend highlights at the Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre’s (WASAC) camp, which brought dozens of First Nations and Metis youth from Duck Bay, Pauingassi, Lac Brochet, Shamattawa, Bunibonibee Cree Nation and Pine Creek to Camp Manitou for a day of fun and education around sport and healthy living.

The eighth-annual camp kicked off Friday night, when campers attended the Murray Sinclair Memorial Round Dance at the convention centre.

Saturday’s busy activity slate included yoga classes, a cooking workshop with chefs from Indigenous-owned local restaurant Feast, and a casual skate with local Jets alumni and friends, including Winkler’s Ray Neufeld, Winnipeg’s Derek Meech, and longtime NHL goalie Trevor Kidd.

Those events were all leading up to the main event: a chance to see the Jets face the Detroit Red Wings at Canada Life Centre on Saturday night, where WASAC was set to be honoured.

“Our job at WASAC is to develop youth leaders,” WASAC executive director Trevor LaForte said, as the kids started spilling onto the ice. “This is a great way, in partnership with True North and the sākihiwē festival, for kids to be a part of something positive, celebrate their culture, have some fun, and meet new people.”

Some campers took to the ice wheeling, sliding pucks into the net, while the NHL alumni offered guidance to novice skaters taking their first unsteady steps. For Kidd, who is Metis and grew up in Oakbank, seeing kids from remote communities get chances to expand their hands-on experience was rewarding.

“It’s something that they can go back to their communities with and talk about,” said Kidd, who played 12 NHL seasons with Calgary, Carolina, Florida and Toronto. “You walk into the dressing room, and they have smiles on their faces, right? They’re having fun, they’re enjoying the experience. To me, all that matters.”

Kidd — who came dressed for the occasion in an Indigenous-themed Jets jersey — added that though he never played for the Jets, he’s thankful the team has welcomed him into their alumni community, so he can contribute to this type of event.

Meech, a Winnipeg native who played two seasons with the current Jets franchise, starting in its 2011 inaugural season, was also touched by the range of skating skills, and the exuberant attitudes of the campers.

“You see these newcomers to the game getting on the ice with smiles on their face, even though it’s -40 out there,” Meech said, warming up in the dressing room after the skate. “It’s a real feel-good thing to get out with these kids.”

Meech, who has also worked many years with the True North Youth Foundation, said events like these highlight the close links between hockey at all levels, and the broader Manitoba community.

“When you get into the rinks, from minor hockey all the way up to pro, you realize how tight-knit the community is and how much people care,” Meech said. “So we try to continue to spread some positivity and get into different communities around Manitoba, and we feel very fortunate and honoured to do so.”

Saturday was the most frigid it’s been for the annual camp and Winnipeg Jets WASAC Night, LaForte said. But organizers were keeping a close eye on the kids, both for safety and also for transportation safety reasons. He was also hoping that the camp would once again be lucky charm: the last four years the Jets hosted WASAC night, the home team won.

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca