The Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation is working to get a Junior B hockey franchise.
The team, which will be called the PBCN Selects, would begin playing in the Manitoba Keystone Junior B Hockey League in October.
The team’s general manager Gavin Church said the name came from one of the Nation’s councillors.
“The reason why that name has come up is one of the councillor’s pointed out that we are selecting players from all eight communities within the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation.”
The Selects are planning to play their home games at the Creighton Sportex.
Church said the idea for the team came from councillor Chuck Morin of Denare Beach with the goal to bring more opportunities to athletes in PBCN communities.
“Our vision (for) this program is to create opportunities for our youth,” he said. “I want to see at least a minimum of one player from every community on the team.”
Church said he wants younger band members to be proud of the team.
“I want to take these youth and have other youth be able to look up to them and say, ‘hey, my cousin’s on the team, my older brother’s on the team,’ and it keeps us relevant in the communities as well,” he said. “This team will be a huge pride factor within the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation.”
The team is in the process of joining the Manitoba league as all other teams within that league are also owned by Indigenous communities and the traveling will be less than if they joined the Saskatchewan Junior B league.
The team is holding it’s first fundraiser in March which will see the Superstars of Canadian Wrestling going to Deschambeault Mar. 18, Sandy Bay Mar. 19, Pelican Narrows Mar. 20 and Denare Beach Mar. 21.
(PHOTO: The Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation is working to acquire a Junior B hockey team. File photo.)