As 25-year-old Elijah Roberts prepares for what’s going to seemingly be his remaining weekend of college hockey, he displays on a major change he’s noticed within the sport since his childhood. In an interview forward of the U Sports activities males’s hockey nationwide championship in Toronto, he talked about being the only Black participant on a crew throughout his early years.
By the point Roberts’s youthful brother, seven years his junior, started taking part in, groups had turn out to be extra numerous, in accordance with Roberts. Transitioning to Toronto Metropolitan College from the Ontario Hockey League in 2021, Roberts seen a number of Black-identifying gamers and one Black coach on the crew, marking a notable shift. He expressed his appreciation for the inclusivity at his faculty, emphasizing that it was a brand new expertise for him, apart from summer season hockey.
TMU now boasts three Black-identifying gamers, together with Roberts, aiming to make their metropolis proud as the college hosts the nationwide match. TMU head coach Johnny Duco highlighted range as a cornerstone of the college’s hockey program, citing former Black and feminine coaches who progressed to skilled ranges.
This 12 months’s match happens amid scrutiny of hockey, notably in Canada, for allegations of abuse, discrimination, and an unique tradition. Hockey Canada started reporting cases of on-ice discrimination throughout all ranges and age teams in 2022, figuring out over 900 circumstances of race-based discrimination within the inaugural 12 months and almost 1,900 the next 12 months.
U Sports activities adheres to its code of conduct and harassment coverage to handle discrimination, aligning with Hockey Canada’s guidelines and self-discipline protocols. CEO Pierre Arsenault emphasised schooling and prevention as major approaches to fight discrimination, positioning self-discipline as a final resort.
Roberts and his colleague, Kyle Bollers, acknowledged their comparatively lucky experiences concerning discrimination in hockey. They advocate for enhanced schooling and accountability throughout all ranges to normalize their optimistic experiences for future gamers.
Roberts believes that elevated illustration of gamers from numerous backgrounds, exemplified by figures like former NHL defenseman P.Ok. Subban, will encourage extra inclusivity within the sport. He hopes his younger daughter will likely be impressed to play hockey as effectively, notably with the rise of the Skilled Ladies’s Hockey League.
Relating to the upcoming match, Roberts expressed gratitude for concluding his profession at house, alongside teammates whom he expects to cherish as lifelong mates. He views it as a becoming conclusion to his journey within the sport.
