The City of Kamloops and Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc have been named hosts of the 2025 National Aboriginal Hockey Championship next year.
Set to run May 5 to 10, the Hockey Canada sanctioned under-18 tournament will feature some elite male and female Indigenous hockey players from across Canada, who will be competing for the Turtle Island Cup.
“As the proud host of the upcoming National Aboriginal Hockey Championships, we are honored to welcome elite Indigenous hockey players from across Canada to our city,” Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Acting Kukpi7 Justin Gottfriedson said, in a statement. “This event not only showcases exceptional talent but also celebrates cultural unity and pride.”
“As Canada’s Tournament Capital, the City of Kamloops is excited to host this elite, under-18 Indigenous hockey competition,” Kamloops Councillor Bill Sarai added. “This tournament highlights our relationship with Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc, whose unceded ancestral lands we occupy, alongside our dedicated community partners and volunteers.”
“Welcoming Indigenous athletes, coaches, and families from diverse communities, we aim to amplify Indigenous voices and the beauty of the local Secwépemc culture and the culture of every athlete at the games.”
The Kamloops – Tk’emlúps bid was supported by numerous organizations including the Kamloops Sports Council, Tourism Kamloops, Thompson Valley Charters, BC Hockey, the Kamloops Minor Hockey Association, and the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I·SPARC) as well as the two host communities.
It will be the third time that the tournament is held in B.C., after Prince George in 2004 and the Cowichan Valley in 2017.
“Kamloops will provide the perfect backdrop for the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships and through the strong partnership between the city and Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc participants and spectators will experience a unique blend of elite competition and culture,” I·SPARC CEO Rick Brant said,
“For Team BC, it will be a special opportunity to compete for a national title in front of a home crowd.”
The Kamloops Sports Council has secured an $80,000 Major Sport Event Hosting grant and a $22,200 BC Fairs Festivals and Events Fund grant from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport to help with the costs of hosting the event.
The two communities fell just short in their bid to host the 2027 North American Indigenous Games. At the time, Tk’emlúps Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir said she didn’t see any reason why Kamloops and Tk’emlúps wouldn’t bid again to host those games in the future.
The 2024 edition of the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships were held in Grand Prairie, Alberta last week.
