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The Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN) held two hockey camps last week.

The Centre Ice Co-ed camp took place from Aug. 17-19.

A girls-only clinic took place from Aug. 21-22. Both camps took place at the Canada Games Centre in Whitehorse.

Players aged five to 18 years from across the territory took part.

CYFN Grand Chief Peter Johnston was an organizer and active participant in the camp.

鈥淚 just wanted to provide an opportunity for everybody to come and if there was barriers we were able to support the families through financial assistance as well, through Jordan鈥檚 Principle, which is very important to First Nations people who are caught in this world where they don鈥檛 have the means, let alone are discriminated in the systems that are there for everybody.鈥�

(Jordan鈥檚 Principle ensures First Nation children receive the services they need. Funding is administered by CYFN).

鈥淭hrough sport, and through leadership training, and the opportunity to participate, that鈥檚 what this camp was all about 鈥� giving everyone a chance,鈥� adds Johnston.

鈥淲e had some great instructors. (Former NHL鈥檈r) John Chabot and his son (Kyle), who has also played high-level hockey.

鈥淲e did provide some off-ice training as well.鈥�

Instructors John and Kyle Chabot, as well as trainer Mike Diabo, all hail from the same area.

鈥淲e had three people from Kitigan Zibi, (a reserve near Maniwaki, Quebec which is home to the Anishinabeg First Nation, an Algonquin band) that came and participated around the camp, because it鈥檚 important to have First Nation instructors as well, just to give them an opportunity as well,鈥� says Johnston.

鈥淲e just kind of wanted to be First Nations-themed, but definitely not a First Nations camp. All of our instructors were First Nation. It was great to see that. We had a mixed balance of not only girls and boys, but non-First Nation people as well that were just excited that we鈥檙e putting something on.

鈥淲e had a great week, and I鈥檓 kind of glad it鈥檚 over now, because it was a lot of work and planning, and even just executing on a daily basis. But looking back now, I鈥檓 glad we did it.鈥�

Johnston explains how the camps came about.

鈥淚鈥檓 very passionate about hockey, and it just takes a lot of 鈥� you have to be motivated obviously 鈥� hockey is huge here in the territory, and I鈥檝e been involved with the other First Nation camp that鈥檚 run in partnership with the First Nation Hockey Association and Northwestel. I used to work for Northwestel so I had a very good idea of what the potential was, and the offering. The last two years, let alone the Native tournament, we weren鈥檛 able to have any hockey. I asked the ladies at the Yukon Indian Hockey (Association) if they were going to do a camp, and they said no. So I said 鈥榙o you want to partner with us?鈥� and they said 鈥榥o, the timing is not good for us鈥�, so I was like 鈥榩erfect! We can go ahead and do this and we鈥檙e not stepping on anybody鈥檚 toes,鈥欌�漴elated Johnston.

鈥淭he opportunity came up 鈥� it鈥檚 a need 鈥� it got these kids prepared for this weekend, as we鈥檒l start the development camps, or ID camps as they鈥檙e referred to in minor hockey, on Sunday.

鈥淭he kids that participated got upwards of five days of skating, two times a day, and once you鈥檙e feeling a little better and prepared, a little confidence, it just bodes well into next year, or the next season.鈥�

According to Johnston, the main funding for the camp came from CYFN.

鈥淲e charged a fee 鈥� so that was able to give us some equity back into the whole program. At the end of the day, it was just for the families 鈥� that needed support. There鈥檚 some families that can鈥檛 even afford to play hockey because of the cost, so we were able to outfit them with full gear.

鈥淟ast year we brought 15 bags of gear from Ottawa to the territory. I鈥檝e also partnered with Bauer Canada, that offered quite a bit of gear as well 鈥� brand new gear.鈥�

Johnston places an emphasis on including kids from all over the territory.

鈥淪o I鈥檝e been on this path a while. It all kind of came together, and with the support of Jordan鈥檚 Principle it allowed us to bring families 鈥� down for this tournament which can now help support with hotel, or mileage to travel from Dawson (City) 鈥� or wherever they鈥檙e coming from. We did have a good number of people from outside of Whitehorse as well, which is obviously my main goal because I grew up in a community.

鈥淲e always want to expand our boundaries to include the whole territory鈥� even northern B.C.鈥�

The cost of travel and hotels for out of town kids, including at least five from Old Crow, was covered by funding from Jordan鈥檚 Principle. There were three different age groups, five to eight, nine to 12, and 13-plus. Those three groups rotated through a schedule, which gave them an opportunity to enjoy two ice-times per day.

They had field-house training, which allowed them to work on their agility and use different core muscles off the ice. Diabo, who runs a program called First Assist, led the players through two different training sessions.

Lunch was also provided for the players.

The strength and conditioning coach of the Ottawa Senators, Chris Schwarz, participated in a Zoom meeting with the players about the importance of good nutrition, good sleep, and what it takes to be a pro, and his experience working with the Senators on a daily basis.

Brandon Montour, a defenceman with the Florida Panthers of Mohawk descent, took part in a Zoom meeting with the participants as well.

鈥淭hey need to hear that you shouldn鈥檛 be eating chips and drinking pop and thinking you鈥檙e going to be great because you need to start building your foundation now,鈥� says Johnston. 鈥淭he message was always positive. Even from Brandon. It was excellent to hear him talking about living a clean life with no alcohol, no drugs, and how important it was for him to succeed. And if you鈥檙e gonna succeed, you can鈥檛 have excuses and results. You can only have one or the other 鈥� he takes it very seriously and prepares accordingly, so he can be at his best every day. That鈥檚 the things kids need to hear.鈥�

Local hockey coach Ken Anderson also participated in the camp.

CYFN staffers Reg McGinty and Anna Lund assisted the kids with their various needs as well.

The Yukon First Nation Education Directorate sent a couple of young activity helpers to offer mentorship to the kids.

Olivia Cook, of Mohawk descent, ran the girl鈥檚 clinic, with assistance from John Chabot.

Chabot also gave away autographed jerseys from Chicago goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, Canucks defencemen Brady Keeper, Brandon Montour, and a t-shirt autographed by Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux.

There were a lot of other giveaways, including a hockey bag, hoodies, t-shirts and jerseys.

鈥淭hose are the things that kids will remember,鈥� says Johnston.

The grand chief says he saw significant progress by the kids in the camp.

鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing even watching kids over the last week, how much they can pick up and advance within a very short period of time if they鈥檙e coached well and given the proper tools.

鈥淜ids need to hear positive messages, so the idea was that we would influence these kids in a way, not only give them great drills on the ice that they can use to help better their skills, but also to take away some leadership development.鈥�

Johnston says they are planning on doing another camp in the future.

鈥淣ext year I鈥檓 looking forward to doing this again 鈥� maybe partnering with a First Nation organization or the hockey association, but at least I think we鈥檙e gonna do an all-girls camp again, because nobody else is doing that, and I think there鈥檚 a positive incentive to do that,鈥� says Johnston.

鈥淚 think there鈥檚 a need to provide a separate clinic 鈥� girls are different when they鈥檙e amongst their own peers and their own gender 鈥� specifically, it鈥檚 just a whole different world when it comes to girl鈥檚 hockey.鈥�

Johnston feels that camps like these can have a really positive impact on kids.

鈥淭he whole basis of this is to give kids a break from their reality. Some of these kids are still living a very tough life. It鈥檚 not very fair to them that they鈥檝e been growing up in 鈥� whatever may be their challenges that their family faced from a financial perspective, or social. It鈥檚 a reality that we鈥檙e still dealing with today.鈥�

鈥淚f we can do more for the youth and invest in them properly, the outcomes will speak for themselves eventually,鈥� adds Johnston.鈥滻t was awesome, and I鈥檒l do it again next year, no problem.鈥�