Amazing – Two of our very own – 49th Annual Lil’ NHL

It is with great honor that I can announce that two of RMHA's very own were invited to take part in the 49th Annual Little Native Hockey League Tournament in Mississauga from March 12-17, 2023. Along with their father, Kris Meawasige, Nina Meawasige (U7) and Mika Meawasige (U9) were able to get the incredible experience of a lifetime by playing alongside talented indigenous hockey players from accross Ontario. The two young superstars will be playing for Curve Lake First Nations in their respective divisions. Both Nina and Mika are part Ojibwe and Pottawatomi family Lineage. 

Please join me  in showing Nina and Mika how absolutely proud we all are of them and so happy that were able to take part in such an amazing tournament!

For more about the tournament, see below.

Mika Meawasige - U9

Nina Meawasige - U7

A little bit about the tournament:

Little Native Hockey League (Little NHL) tournament was started by five very special people who wanted to start a tournament for our First Nation Youth. These people were Earl Abotossaway, former Chief Jim McGregor, the late James D. Debassige, the late Reverend Leonard Self and the late Norman Debassige.  Their collective dreams became a reality when they held their first tournament during the Christmas break in 1971.

It is a great honour for all to keep up the tradition of the Little NHL tournament started by these special individuals. The first tournament had 17 teams and a modest 200 players in Little Current.  In 2018, the tournament had grown to 209 teams and approximately 3000 players.

Many First Nation communities have hosted the tournament over the 44 year history.  Some of these First Nations include Aundeck Omni Kaning, Curve Lake, Dokis, Fort William, Garden River, M’Chigeeng, Nipissing, Sagamok, Saugeen, Six Nations, Walpole Island, Wausauksing, Wikwemikong, Whitefish Lake and Whitefish River.   

Many of our former L’NHL’ers have gone on to various levels of Hockey excellence with “AA”, “AAA”, Tier II, Junior B, College/University, OHL and NHL level of play.  The caliber of players gets better with each passing year, while the spirit and intent of the tournament created by the founders remains the same.
The tradition continues today with the four pillars of Education, Citizenship, Sportsman and Respect.
 
Source: www.lnhl.ca