The Gwa’sala-Nakwaxda’xw First Nations hosted their annual year-end ball hockey tournament Dec. 30 and
Dec. 31 at the Wakas Community Hall. The tournament, held in honour of Peter Charlie, Trish Charlie and
Gilbert Walkus who died in a fire in an apartment complex on Highland Drive on Jan. 1, 2010, has been a
fixture of the community every year since 2011. “It is really important for our community to be together that
day,” said Maggie Coon, the tournament organizer. “Our community does take it really hard that they are not
alongside of us anymore.”The ball hockey tournament featured six men’s teams and three women’s teams this
year. The games are played four on four, with two 15 minute periods and a one minute intermission in-
between. “The games are always fun and competitive,” said Coon.The bleachers quickly filled up on
Wednesday, Dec. 30, as the tournament kicked off around 12 p.m. After a brief warm up, two of the teams, the
WolfPack and the WolfPack Jr’s, which was a match up of brothers vs. little brothers, started to play. All in all,
Coon said that “the first day of the tournament went really well. There were 15 games played.” The second day
of the tournament started bright and early at 8:25 a.m. Dec. 31. When asked about previous tournament
winners, Coons mentioned that “The WolfPack usually win the tournament, but the games between them and
the Storm are very competitive.”And as it turned out, the two teams ended up facing off in the finals around 2
p.m. The 1st 15 minute period was filled with back and forth, fast paced hockey action. Both teams clearly
wanted to win and were playing aggressively. By the intermission, the score was 3-2 for the WolfPack. The
Storm refused to quit, however. Throughout the 2nd period they peppered the WolfPack’s goalie, scoring goal
after goal after goal. The WolfPack answered with a few goals of their own, but it wasn’t enough. The Storm
ended up winning 11-6, taking first place in the fifth annual Gwa’sala-Nakwaxda’xw First Nations ball hockey
tournament. Coons was extremely happy how the tournament went, adding that it “met my expectations and
more,” and that ‘It’s a great way for our community to remember the ones we lost.”
