I started playing hockey when I was four years old. This summer, I was one of 120 young athletes from across the country invited to the Black Girls Hockey Club camp. The camp happened in Toronto between July 5 and 7.
According to their website, Black Girl Hockey Club Canada (BGHCC) is “a non-profit organization that focuses on making hockey more inclusive for not only Black women, but our family, friends and allies.”
Saroya Tinker, who is the co-founder and executive director of BGHCC, participated in a Black Girls hockey camp in the United States when she was younger, and she wanted to start one in Canada. The Canadian chapter launched in November 2022, and this was the second summer camp that was organized.
The camp included volunteer coaches who play for the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), such as Mikayla Grant Mentis who plays for Montreal, who coached my team.
The camp started with a welcoming event at a roller-skating rink, where we met our coaches and all the other players who were there. On Saturday, we started on the ice for some drills, and then we did a workout, and had a workshop on hair care. On Sunday, we did more drills and then we had a scrimmage. We ended the camp by making friendship bracelets. We stayed in a hotel with my family.
I was nervous about going to the camp, but when we started on the ice, I was one of the best players there. It was really cool because in Huntingdon, the black girls playing hockey are just me and my younger sister. It made me feel good and happy.
My mom, Erin Duheme, was scrolling on Instagram when she found out about the club, and I was excited when she told me about it. My mom thought that it was good and important for me and my sister to join this.
It was important for me because I get to play with more girls who look like me.
I really enjoyed the camp, and I hope other girls will have a chance to do the camp next year.