TV series shines light on aboriginal hockey playersHit The Ice being filmed at arenas throughout Ottawa-GatineauA new reality television show being shot at arenas throughout Ottawa-Gatineau is giving young, talented hockey players from northern reserves the chance to train with big-league coaches and be seen by scouts.
It features longtime NHL player and coach John Chabot, an Algonquin man raised in Maniwaki.
He told CBC News aboriginal hockey players are often overlooked.And:
"They get to the bantam age and they're fantastic players, but then they're playing men's hockey, and then they get into the wrong things, they realize that their hockey thing's over, and they just get pushed to the wrong direction."
Hit the Ice will follow these players through training camp as they compete to be part of the team, learning skills and getting guidance from professionals along the way.
"It's going to reinvigorate them, I think," Chabot said.Comment: For more on Natives and
hockey, see
Eight Native Players on Stanley Cup and
Hockey Team Chooses "Tomahawks" Name.
Below: "Longtime NHL player and coach John Chabot is taking part in a new reality television show focusing on young, talented aboriginal hockey players." (CBC)
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Highlighting First Nations Athletes: Aboriginal Youth Hockey Players Star in New TV Series
An upcoming television series featuring Aboriginal teenage hockey players is already being deemed a success even though the first episode has yet to be aired.
The series, titled Hit the Ice, will begin airing nationally in Canada in January on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.
The series, which will consist of 13 half-hour episodes, features 20 Aboriginal hockey players from across the country.
Hit the Ice follows these players, aged 16-18, as they attend a two-week training camp session. The main purpose of the camp is to get players some much needed recognition in the hopes they advance to a higher level of hockey.