By Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com Rick Brant has reason to be excited about next year’s National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC). Brant is the CEO of the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I-SPARC), the governing body for Indigenous athletics and recreation in British Columbia.

I-SPARC oversees the selection of B.C. squads for the annual NAHC, which features elite Indigenous players from across the country, primarily ages 13 to 17.

Earlier this month it was announced that Tk̓emlups te Secwepemc (formerly the Kamloops Indian Band) will co-host the 2025 NAHC. “It deepens the shared experience for all involved when an Indigenous community hosts such a prestigious Indigenous sporting event,” Brant said. “So, we are thrilled for Tk̓emlups te Secwepemc to be partnering with the city of Kamloops to deliver the 2025 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships.

” The NAHC has been held annually since 2002. The tournament, however, was cancelled in both 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2025 event will mark the third time it has been staged in British Columbia.

The tourney was first held in the province in 2004 in Prince George. And then the 2017 event was held in the Cowichan Valley district in the province. “It will be a special experience for our teams to compete for a national title in front of a home crowd,” Brant said.

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