Canada's national pastime isn't accessible to many young people in Canada. Hockey 4 Youth Foundation provides free equipment and ice time to newcomer teens and other youth facing barriers so they can learn the game and find community.
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New guidebook aims to promote diversity, belonging in community sports (CBC News Ottawa)
Rouba El Khatib joined the Hockey 4 Youth program in Grade 10 when the program emerged. The team plays at the Jim Durrell Recreation Centre in Alta Vista.
For 17-year-old Rouba El Khatib, playing hockey during Ramadan has been a slight challenge as she's kept up her fast while practicing.
El Khatib is a member of the Hockey 4 Youth program at Ridgemont High School, a team made up exclusively of female newcomers that introduces them to the sport at no cost. She learned about hockey in gym class four years ago after moving to Ottawa from Lebanon following the explosions in Beirut.
El Khatib said she has "a lot of passion" for the sport, and suggests scheduling practices after sunset during Ramadan so players can eat and drink while on the ice.
It's her belief, she said, that the guide will help others feel as included as she does, adding that she's grateful that programs like Hockey 4 Youth exist.
Immigrants in Canada Learn to Play Ice Hockey (Scholastic Kids Press)
Jade with Karima Mohammad Karim, 17, an immigrant who is learning how to play ice hockey
I recently attended a Hockey 4 Youth practice to interview some of the players. “I’ve always had an interest in sports,” 17-year-old Karima Mohammad Karim told me. “I’ve learned so much throughout these few months.” Karima’s family immigrated to Canada from Afghanistan.
For Jotsimran Kaur, 16, the opportunity arose from a teacher recommendation. “My teacher asked me to get involved because I’m an immigrant,” said Jotsimran, whose family moved to Surrey from India. She jumped at the chance to try a sport played on the ice.
A 'surreal experience' as 3 Windsor youth join NHL All-Star festivities in Toronto (CBC Windsor)
Joy Uchenna, 17, was one of three teens from Windsor who went to Toronto for the PWHL's NHL All-Star Weekend. (CBC)
Uchenna, 17, was one of three teenage girls from Windsor who travelled to Toronto for the PWHL's NHL All-Star Weekend, where they got the opportunity to hit the ice at Nathan Phillips Square and meet NHL and PWHL stars ahead of All-Star weekend.
Travelling with her were Ayesa Arquero, 15, and Mer Martin, 17 — also students of St. Joseph's Catholic High School.
The three are members of the Hockey 4 Youth program, which is aimed at teaching new Canadian youth the ins and outs of Canada's official winter sport.
Uchenna, who came to Canada from Nigeria, said she was "speechless" when she got the good news from her principal two weeks ago.
"When we arrived in Toronto we got to meet a couple girls, people of colour, who were also skating, that had more experience than us. I think that was pretty cool. We made friendships pretty fast," Uchenna told CBC News.
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Once-in-a-Lifetime NHL All-Star Red Carpet Experience (CityNews)
Sports reporter Lindsay Dunn speaks with members of the Hockey 4 Youth organization about their NHL All-Star Red Carpet experience provided by Rogers, the parent company of CityNews.
Breaking the ice: Inclusive hockey program coaches newcomer girls (Windsor Star)
A total of 34 girls of diverse backgrounds from St. Joseph's Catholic High School in Windsor participated in the Hockey 4 Youth Foundation's free inclusive hockey program on Thursday, December 21, 2023 at the WFCU Centre. Moezine Hasham, executive director of the program works with Ayesa Arquero during the event. Some of the participants are shown during the event. PHOTO BY DAN JANISSE /Windsor Star
A pioneering free hockey program has launched to break down the barriers hindering newcomer and diverse girls from playing the popular Canadian sport.
On Thursday, 34 female students from St. Joseph’s Catholic High School laced up their skates and glided onto the ice at the WFCU Centre for their first practice with Hockey 4 Youth — a charitable organization that creates free opportunities for newcomer and diverse girls to play.
Brand new hockey players hit the ice (CBC News Windsor)
Some Windsor high school girls got the chance to play one of Canada's favourite games on Thursday. The hockey program is run by the Hockey 4 Youth Foundation, which gives newcomers and those who face barriers to accessing the sport a chance to hit the ice. Many of the students were playing for the very first time. Jacob Barker reports.