200 bags full of hockey equipment gives Indigenous youth a shot on the ice

What started as a hockey team wanting to make a difference for local Indigenous youth years ago has turned into a nationwide endeavour.

A truckload of donated hockey equipment is making its way to remote Indigenous communities, thanks to a grassroots initiative that started a decade ago in Simcoe County.

The latest shipment, packed with 200 bags of gear, including skates, sticks, goalie pads, helmets, and pucks, was organized by Their Opportunity, a youth-focused charity dedicated to ensuring financial barriers don’t keep kids from playing sports.

What began as a small initiative to support youth from the First Nations community on Christian Island has grown to impact more than 60 Indigenous communities across the country.

For Graham McWaters, the chief organizer of the Indigenous hockey equipment drive, it’s about more than just equipment, it’s about opportunity.

“We started helping out one Indigenous community, and it mushroomed, to the point where now we gather 1,000 bags a year,” McWaters said, the Indigenous Hockey Equipment Drive organizer.

The need is significant, said Michael Birch, the Grand Chief of Anisininew Okimawin.

“It’s very, very expensive,” Birch added. “But the good thing is we have four arenas up there. Now, what we got to do is equip these children who really need it.”

The most recent shipment, valued at more than $100,000, is bound for Manitoba, with donations from generous Ontarians, including individuals and businesses who believe sports can change lives.

Randy Gill, the founder and president of Their Opportunity, understands that power firsthand. “I was one of those kids... that actually needed help financially to participate in the sport I love. I was very fortunate to play some pro hockey, junior hockey. And now we’re giving back to other kids all across the country.”

The impact of the charity’s efforts extend far beyond the rink.

“If we can keep our kids occupied, maybe we can keep them away from drugs and different things. And one day, maybe we might see a kid in the NHL. You never know,” said Birch.

The equipment drive, now in its 10th year, shows no signs of slowing down. Some of its biggest collection efforts take place in Barrie, and major donation drives are planned for both Barrie and Newmarket later this year.

During a virtual call with CTV News on Tuesday, McWaters said the generosity continues to grow. “Just before you and I got on this call, I had somebody call me from London, Ontario, whose relative passed away, and they want to donate hockey gear to us. We get one or two of those a month. People are calling, emailing and faxing, texting me every day to offer up gear.”

For those behind the initiative, the message remains clear, hockey is more than a game and no child should be left on the sidelines.

Related | Donated hockey equipment being sent to kids in Manitoba First Nations