Richard Froese
South Peace News
Indigenous youth were inspired by a Cree professional hockey player at a golf tournament Aug. 26 hosted by the Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council at the High Prairie and District Golf Course.
Drafted into the National Hockey League in 2015 by the Edmonton Oilers, Ethan Bear shared his journey at the 14th annual Youth Golf Day hosted by the LSLIRC.
He encouraged the youth to set goals in life and be committed.
“It’s about dedication,” says Bear, 27, who grew up near Whitewood, Saskatchewan.
“If you want to do something, it takes little steps.
“Be confident in who you are.”
Currently on the roster of the Washington Capitals, he previously played with the Vancouver Canucks and the Carolina Hurricanes.
“When I was your age, I didn’t know what I would do,” Bear says.
“I knew I wanted to play hockey in the NHL.
“I’m dedicated, I’m motivated, I want to do it.”
Despite being an Indigenous person and from a small town, he scored his first goal in life when he was drafted in the NHL.
“You’re living the dream, you’re doing what you have worked so hard for,” Bear says as he shared about starting his NHL career.
“It’s passion that drives my life.
“Be confident in who you are and take it one day at a time.”
He says family and his community played a big part in his life’s journey.
“Love your family,” Bear says.
“I know my community was behind me.
“You always have a place to go home.
“Your community and family are always behind you with their support and love.”
Through his journey, he grew as an individual.
“I learned to be a good person and a player,” Bear says.
He was inspired by his older brother Everett, who also played hockey, and other Indigenous professional hockey players, including Carey Price and Jordan Tootoo.
About 55 youth and about 30 adults heard the hockey player, says LSLIRC mental health and addiction co-ordinator Ashley Campbell, who organized the event with Bobby-Jo Laboucan, crisis response team co-ordinator.
“This was the first time we had a guest speaker at our Youth Golf Day,” Campbell says.
“We usually host a youth conference in Slave Lake in the spring and youth requested we bring in Ethan Bear.”
Bear is a very motivational speaker that encouraged the youth, she says.
“He told them how they can achieve their dreams when they work hard, focus and commit themselves,” Campbell says.
The LSLIRC serves the Kapawe’no First Nation, Sucker Creek First Nation, Driftpiile Cree Nation in the High Prairie region and Sawridge First Nation in the Slave Lake region.
