The Elizabeth Grouse Gymnasium on the Sugar Cane Reserve was alive with the sound of laughter and sticks smashing the floor at the Williams Lake Indian Band’s Spring Ball Hockey Classic.
Over 30 youth ranging from the ages of 10 to 13 took part in the tournament and played throughout the entire morning in intense games. A male and female adult division was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances but the WLIB didn’t let that put a damper on the event.
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WLIB Chief Willie Sellars, who served as one of the two goalies for all the team, said good community event like these are what the WLIB likes putting on. As a youth, Sellars remembers playing in the Elizabeth Grouse Gymnasium for various rec night and tournaments and the chance to now host them for today’s youth, First Nations and non-First Nations, is a special feeling.
“I really enjoy seeing the competition, the intensity and the laughs and good times,” Sellars said.
Three teams battled it out throughout the whole weekend with all the games being close ones, Sellars said. Ultimately it was the Zambronzkis who claimed first place in a shootout after an intense final game that was right down to the wire.
Sellars intends to continue to organize sporting events for the community like this on “weekends that make sense”, in a continuous effort to get people out of their homes and engaging with one another positively.
patrick.davies@wltribune.com
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