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It is that time of year that summer draws to a close and fall is just around the corner. That means the start of hockey seasons, from Mites to the pro level, will ramp up soon. For me, it always brings back fond memories of playing this game especially as a young kid in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Coming together as a team for a fresh start each year was special. Our hopes and aspirations seemed limitless.
The lessons learned through competing on the ice are ones I’ve carried throughout my life. Hockey has helped shape me as a husband, father, brother, friend, and as an entrepreneur. That fact compelled me to join Bernice Carnegie to launch The Carnegie Initiative (The CI) nearly three years ago.
If you’re a regular reader of the “Carnegie Corner,” you may have seen Bernice’s message from the previous edition in which she stated that the CI is “currently poised for great growth in the weeks, months, and years ahead.” I am in complete agreement with her comment.
On a side note, please stay tuned for some added features to our website. Soon, you’ll be able to access a number of resources including an archive of our newsletter. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to be sure to check out our weekly “CI Aggregator.” The CI’s Comms team is continuously curating information related to hockey and inclusion and conveniently brings a wealth of information to the forefront in one place for you to easily digest. We’ll be adding an archive of this valuable content to our website as well.
The CI has a great opportunity before us. Our growing team and partners are more committed than ever in working to change the culture of hockey to make it more supportive, inclusive and welcoming for all.
Thank you for engaging with us whether it’s through reading the “Carnegie Corner,” following us on social media, visiting our website, or attending our annual summit and other events held throughout the year.
Yours Truly,
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Bryant McBride was interviewed by media at a private screening of "Beyond Their Years: The Incredible Legacies of Herb Carnegie and Buck O’Neil" this past spring. He produced the new documentary. | | |
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Black Girl Hockey Club Scholarship Recipients Announced
The Black Girl Hockey Club (BGHC), Canada recently announced the recipients of their numerous scholarships that are funded by Jumpstart, a charity of the Canadian Tire Corporation.
BGHC Canada was co-founded in 2022 by The Carnegie Initiative Board Member R. Renee Hess and Saroya Tinker, who serves as the executive director, to create a community space for Black women in hockey. Its mission is “to inspire and sustain passion for the game of hockey within the Black community, specifically with our mothers, sisters, daughters and friends.” Hess founded the original BGHC in the United States in 2018 and is that organization's executive director.
The BGHC's scholarship program subsidizes the cost of playing hockey for Black girls and women, ages 9-18. The intent is to encourage them to pursue their interest in hockey, a sport where they are often underrepresented. The scholarships are disbursed three times each year and available to players around the world.
“Black Girl Hockey Club Canada is excited that our inaugural class of scholarship recipients represents an elite class of Black and brown athletes in Canada who are, I believe, the next generation of great women hockey players,” Hess shared. “I am proud of the work our organization has done and will continue to do to uplift the hard work of these young women, and I am forever grateful to Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities for supporting the Black Girl Hockey Club mission and for their commitment to funding these scholarships helping grow the game of hockey in underrepresented communities.”
Most of BGHC Canada's scholarships are named in honor of inspirational women in the hockey world. The recent winners include:
- Angela James Scholarship ($6,000) – Kianna Saillant (AAA Winnipeg Ice, Manitoba Female Hockey League)
- Bernice Carnegie Scholarship ($5,000) – Elicia MacDonald (Scarborough Sharks U15 AA OWHL)
- Blake Bolden Scholarship ($4,000) – Sienna Bullen (Queens University Women's Hockey)
- Sarah Nurse Scholarship ($3,000) – Aliza Rooker (Vancouver Angels U18 A1, PCAHA)
- Rising Stars Scholarships (Five at $2,500 each) – Evelyn Forrester (Brampton Canadettes GHA), Norah Nyaba (Kemptville Thunder U18 AA), Olivia Brown (North Halton Girls Hockey U13A), Morgan Smith-Johnson (North York Storm AA), and Aaminah Iqbal (Oakville Hornets U13BB1, 2023/2024)
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Canadian Blind Hockey Holds Summer Camp
A total of 55 players took to the ice at Iceland Arena in Mississauga, Ontario in mid-August to participate in the Canadian Blind Hockey development camp. The skaters included most of the players from the Canadian National Blind Hockey Team along with many elite players trying to make the team who participated in the “high performance” division.
The development camp started in 2014 and this year attracted players from numerous countries. Many of the established players mentored newcomers who were learning the basic skills of blind hockey.
"Any time we host an event like this, it has the effect of growing the para sport of blind hockey," Canadian Blind Hockey Executive Director Matt Morrow told CBC News.
As the camp unfolded, four skaters from an “adult development” division, consisting of teenagers and adults, were chosen to further hone their skills by joining the high performance players.
Rane Carnegie, an Advisor to The Carnegie Initiative, volunteered as an instructor.
“The pace in which they were playing, the compete, the battling; they are really great athletes having the time of their life,” he shared.
|  | Rane Carnegie poses with Luca DeMontis, the General Manager of the Canadian National Blind Hockey Team and Program Manager for Canadian Blind Hockey, at the camp held earlier this month. |
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Chi-Yin Tse Volunteers at USA Hockey National Camps
The sale of the Premiere Hockey Federation (PHF) and creation of a new professional women's hockey league has left many players and team employees uncertain about their futures. The Carnegie Initiative Board Member Chi-Yin Tse, who served as the general manager of the PHF’s Minnesota Whitecaps, is one person impacted by the sale.
Tse recently accepted a new position in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the director of hockey operations for the Tulsa Ice Centers. He will oversee current youth hockey and adult hockey programs in Tulsa.
This summer was a busy one for Tse, who not only landed a new job in a new city, but also worked at several USA Hockey development projects. Tse spent much of his summer at the Western Regional High Performance Camp at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, helping to prep 14-year-old players for future National Development Camps. Tse also volunteered as a team leader at the Boys 15 National Camp.
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Check-in with Chi-Yin Tse
The CI Board Member Chi-Yin Tse sat down with The CI for an interview last week. He shared thoughts on the progress being made by The Carnegie Initiative as well as the future of his players from the now-defunct Minnesota Whitecaps.
Watch Video:
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Brian Burke, a member of The CI’s Board of Directors, was named the Executive Director of the Professional Women's Hockey League Players Association (PWHLPA).
His pedigree in the game of hockey spans over 35 years. Burke has served as the president of hockey operations and/or general manager of the Hartford Whalers, Vancouver Canucks, Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames and the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has also had stints as a TV hockey analyst.
Off the ice, Burke has been one of the most prominent voices in hockey, advocating and supporting the LGBTQ+ community and their inclusion in the sport.
CI: You recently accepted a new role with the Professional Women's Hockey League Players Association. What are your hopes for the future of women’s pro hockey?
BB: Today is a great day for women hockey players. Today ends decades of division and strife. The best women’s hockey players in the world (we may add a few from outside our group) now get a chance to earn a fair range of salary and benefits. And compete with first class staff, in first-class practice facilities, with first-class coaches and in first-class game venues. We have reached a wonderful level! My hopes are to work closely with the PWHL and grow this great game!
CI: What will your biggest focus be in your new role with the PWHLPA?
BB: My role will be to make sure that every player is treated equitably as we work together to grow the game.
CI: How can the NHL make a bigger impact in supporting the LGBTQ+ hockey community?
BB: We are committed to a full agenda on the scope of diversity, equity and inclusion. However, given our constituency, we intend to be leaders on the LGBTQ+ front! The NHL has been a great partner in this area.
CI: Do you think NHL involvement in women’s pro hockey is necessary?
BB: Now with a unified front, we are counting on great support from the National Hockey League, already a great partner. Further support is vital. But we need to make this work on our own feet!
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CI: Was there a particular instance in your life you recall as the moment you fell in love with hockey?
BB: When I moved to Minnesota at age 12 and watched the State High School Hockey Tournament. For (the) women’s (game), Nagano, 25 years ago.
CI: What do you deem as the most immediate challenges The CI must focus on to see more progress in making the sport more inclusive and welcoming to all?
BB: I fear the trend toward ignorance and hatred that is emerging. We have made such amazing progress. Just when I thought we were making real progress, there has been a hard turn toward hatred and intolerance. We need to fight this!
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By the Numbers
The first step in access to the game of hockey is the availability of a rink. Here is a snapshot of the countries around the world with the most ice rinks.
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Calendar
January 2024 - The CI Summit in Toronto, Ontario.
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Help Blaze the Trail
The CI gratefully appreciates donations, large and small, that help us with our mission: “Work to ensure that hockey is inclusive, supportive, and welcoming to all.”
Please consider a donation today.
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Joel Darling commented on longtime Buffalo Sabres announcer Rick Jeanneret who passed away on Aug. 17, 2023 at the age of 81. Jeanneret’s 51 years behind the mic made him the longest tenured team play-by-play announcer in NHL history.
Joel is an executive producer for “Hockey Night in Canada” and the son of the late Ted Darling, who was the “original voice of the Sabres.”
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