U17 AA Leaside Flames participate in Orange Jersey Project for last regular season game
The Under-17 AA Leaside Flames participated in the Orange Jersey Project for their last regular season game on April 12. The Orange Jersey Project honours Indigenous children who were victims and survivors of residential schools, while also aiming to build awareness and education among athletes and the larger hockey community.
The project hopes teams wearing orange jerseys will spark a discussion that has the power to educate and help many understand the history of the Residential School system. Beyond education about the past, the project hopes to also celebrate the many Indigenous hockey players and athletes.
The project was made possible, in part, through the auctioning of jerseys signed by Indigenous hockey players such as Reggie Leach, Carey Price, Ethan Bear, and others. Each jersey has a QR code that is linked to an online education platform including modules on the history of residential schools and what can be done when it comes to reconciliation.
The U17 AA Flames’ efforts to honour Indigenous history started in 2019 when the team visited Wikimekwong First Nation. For the visit, the team brought hockey equipment to the youth, ran a mini hockey school, and played a friendly game at the local arena. The team also took part in a history lesson and participated in a short cultural learning session, something the Flames remember as the most impactful part of the trip.
To learn more about the Orange Jersey Project and to register your team to participate at no cost, visit OrangeJerseyProject.ca.
