The Innisfil Winterhawks LL U11 Team 1 of the Innisfil Minor Hockey Association is proud to be participating in the Orange Jersey Project by wearing special jerseys during their practice in Stroud on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
An initiative by the Orange Shirt Society, Keener Jerseys, and premier sponsor Canadian Tire, the Orange Jersey Project aims to “use the power of sport to serve as a vehicle toward educating today’s young athletes about the history of the Indian Residential School System and strengthen the path toward truth and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples."
It supports the call to action number 87 in the Truth and Reconciliation report to provide public education that tells the national story of Aboriginal athletes in history.
Team manager, Aimee Richard-Foster told InnisfilToday that the team is excited to support the project because of the inclusive nature of hockey.
"This project is important to us as we hope to share our love of the game with everybody." she said. "It is important to us as we have a hockey family member who survived a residential school. We wear the jersey for her and all of those who had to live what we know is a horrific story.”
According to the website, youth teams U9-U18 were invited to get involved and 750 teams were accepted. These teams, including the Innisfil Winterhawks LL U11 Team 1, received complimentary orange jerseys.
Each jersey includes a QR code that links to an online learning and sharing platform (referred to as the Learning Management System or LMS). The LMS includes videos by professional Indigenous athletes sharing their experience with former Indian Residential Schools. Its goal is to encourage learning, engagement, sharing, and activities.
Every qualified participant that completes all modules will then be entered into a random draw for each Division U9 to U18 to be eligible for unique prizes.
“We play hard, and we practice hard." Richard-Foster said. “We will wear our Orange Jerseys with pride and respect. We hope to bring attention to the project and its education and information portal. The more kids loving hockey while bringing attention to the Orange Jersey Project the better. Our spirits will soar like Winterhawks wearing the jerseys!”
To learn more about the Orange Jersey Project, including plans to expand the initiative to other sports like soccer and football, check out this website.
Amber Green is a freelance journalist for Village Media Inc.
