Male Team BC Wins Bronze at the 2023 NAHC

Victoria, B.C. (May 18, 2023) The Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I·SPARC) is pleased to announce the Team BC male team won the bronze medal at the highly competitive 2023 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC). Moreover, the hard-fought efforts of Team BC’s female team have earned them a fourth place finish in the tournament. 

The province’s top Indigenous U18 players formed the two Team BC teams at the 2023 NAHC held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, spanning from May 7th to May 13th, 2023. 

On behalf of I·SPARC, Lara Mussell Savage, Director of Sport, expressed her immense pride in both the male and female teams for their exceptional performance at the 2023 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships. “Their dedication, skill, and unwavering determination were on full display throughout the tournament. Congratulations to Team BC on their bronze medal win and to our female team for their solid fourth-place finish. They have truly represented British Columbia with honour and distinction.” 

The male team’s path to the bronze medal was paved with impressive victories. Dominating the preliminary round, they defeated Saskatchewan 6-3, overpowered Team Nunavut 7-3, and narrowly triumphed over Team Alberta 4-3. Their quarter-final match was no different as they kept their winning streak alive with a resounding 6-0 shutout against Team Eastern Door & North. They faced a challenging opponent in Team Ontario during the semi-finals, and the team’s unwavering determination was evident throughout the game, even in their eventual 4-2 loss. In the highly anticipated bronze medal game, Team BC put their hard-earned skills on display as they faced off against Team Saskatchewan. With a 6-2 victory, they secured the coveted third-place finish in the tournament. This achievement marks the team’s third consecutive bronze medal win, following their success in the 2022 Membertou, Nova Scotia NAHC and the 2019 Whitehorse, Yukon NAHC. We would also like to congratulate BC’s Ethan Hamilton (#4) for being awarded the NAHC’s Top Overall Defensemen Award, and Jalen McRae (11) for being recognized as BC’s most sportsmanlike player. 

The female team demonstrated their exceptional skills and talent, going 2-2 in the preliminary round. They started strong with a 4-1 victory over Team Atlantic and an impressive 10-0 shutout against Team Eastern Door & North. Despite a 5-0 loss to Team Saskatchewan, they fought hard. The final preliminary game against Team Ontario ended in a 3-0 loss for BC. In the quarter-finals, they sought redemption against Team Saskatchewan and achieved it with a resounding 5-1 win. Moving to the semi-finals, Team BC battled fiercely against Team Ontario but narrowly lost 2-1. This propelled them to the bronze medal game, where they left their hearts on the ice, pushing the game into two overtimes. Ultimately, Team Alberta emerged victorious with a hard-fought 3-2 win, securing the bronze medal and leaving BC with a respectable fourth-place finish. An additional congratulations goes out to Alexandra Lawler (#3), who was recognized as BC’s most sportsmanlike player. 

The Team BC NAHC is a program of the I·SPARC and sanctioned by BC Hockey. The program provides an opportunity for the province’s top U18 male and female Indigenous hockey players to compete at the National Championships. I·SPARC would like to acknowledge the 2023 NAHC Host Committee, its Event Partners, and volunteers for hosting an outstanding event. We would also like to thank all of Team BC’s fans and supporters. Congratulations to Team BC for their outstanding performance at the 2023 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships. 

2023 OFFICIAL TEAM BC MALE ROSTER 

Male Team BC Staff:
Head Coach: Bobby Vermette (Maple Ridge / Métis) 
Assistant Coach: Doneau Menard (Port Coquitlam / Métis) 
Assistant Coach: Derry Menard (Coquitlam / Métis) 
Manager: Tana Mussell (Chilliwack / Sqwá (Skwah) First Nation) 
Trainer: Noelani Avveduti (Victoria / Alexander First Nation) 

2023 OFFICIAL TEAM BC FEMALE ROSTER 

Female Team BC Staff:
Head Coach: Darrel Stanwood (West Vancouver / Métis)
Assistant Coach: Alex Hendrickson (Abbotsford / Métis)
Assistant Coach: Jade Ridgewell (Delta / First Nations)
Manager: Brenda Maguire (Nanaimo)
Trainer: Noelani Avveduti (Victoria / Alexander First Nation) 

For more information about Team BC – 2023 NAHC, and the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council, please visit  https://isparc.ca/performance-sport/team-bc/national-aboriginal-hockey-championships/  

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Media Contact
Kylie Antrobus
Team BC, Communications Manager
Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council
kantrobus@isparc.ca