The U15A Orillia Terriers traded in their teal and black uniforms for orange on Friday evening.
The Orillia Minor Hockey Association team is one of just 750 teams from across Canada selected to participate in the Orange Jersey Project this year.
Lisa Ligers, a parent of a player on the team, applied to have the squad included in the project earlier in the season. Once accepted, the players, parents, and coaches were provided educational modules from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
“The parents have enjoyed learning alongside because our generation wasn’t necessarily provided those learning opportunities in our own schooling,” she said. “It’s an opportunity for everybody to learn about truth and reconciliation.”
Elder Rosanne Irving, whose grandmother lived at the Kamloops Indian Residential School, has been a part of the team this year to share her generational experiences and cultural knowledge.
Irving, a Coldwater resident, says she was “very excited” to see the Orillia team participate in the Orange Jersey Project.
“It’s a passion of mine to share our history,” she said. “It needs to be learned because it’s our youth now that are going to be change-makers.”
Irving says youth today know more about Indigenous history than many of their parents.
“When they share out their learning with their parents and others, they are becoming healers,” she said. “We as Indigenous people are on our healing journey from the impacts of the residential schools.”
Irving hopes the Terriers’ participation in the Orange Jersey Project will be seen by other local teams and groups in the area.
“This is very emotional on many levels with many individuals,” she said. “To see that we are being acknowledged, to have that sense of belonging, hope, and a purpose, I think it’s beautiful.”
Terriers’ captain Aiden Lewis, 14, says participating in the Orange Jersey Project has been “different” from all his other experiences while playing hockey.
“It’s something I’ve never done before,” he said. “It’s definitely been a good experience to have and to share with my teammates and coaches.”
The Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School student says it was an honour to wear the orange jersey on Friday night.
“Wearing the orange jersey is another way to show awareness for the Indigenous people,” Lewis said. “We hope it will bring people to realize that we need to hear their voices and know what has actually gone on.”
Lewis hopes more local teams will wear the orange jersey in the spirit of truth and reconciliation.
“I think it would help the Indigenous community a lot,” he said. “It would also help our own community to bring us closer together.”
On the ice, Lewis says it’s been a tough season at times. His team faced adversity through multiple arena shutdowns and injuries to key players.
“The Orange Jersey Project has helped us with team building and bonding,” he said. “It has definitely brought us closer together.”
The Orillia Girls Hockey Association's U9 Hawks squad will also be taking part in the Orange Jersey Project this weekend. They play their final home game of the season on Saturday at the Chippewas of Rama First Nation’s Mnjikaning Arena Sports Ki (MASK). Puck drop is at 11 a.m.
