I have been playing hockey since I was four and love to take slaps
said the nine-year-old hockey player who is a member of the Anishinabe community of Lac Barrière, about 300 kilometers northwest of Montreal.
Washiiyeh Jeannotte is also a big fan of but of Michigan
, a maneuver that requires great dexterity with the stick performed by Canadian hockey player Mike Legg while playing for the University of Michigan in a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament in 1996.
Washiiyeh’s video of several times achieving Michigan’s goal and other prowess with his stick has been viewed over 160,000 times on TikTok.
The father of the boy who uploaded the video said the movement has improved since 1996. A lot of NHL players did it and a lot of these guys wanted little kids to try it. I think (my son) perfected it
, said Andrew Jeannotte.
If Washiiyeh was able to continue to improve his skills, it is also thanks to his family who built an ice rink. Indeed, due to the pandemic, the young Anishinabe could no longer train or play with his Atom AA team.
The Jeannotte family has set up an ice rink in their garden so that they can continue to practice despite the pandemic.
Photo: Courtesy Andrew Jeannotte
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It is therefore on an ice equipped with exterior lights that Washiiyeh and his brother practice in the morning before school and then in the evening, after lessons, even when it is dark.
To be able to go out and practice the sport he loves, for him it’s great
, launched his mother, Nicole Ratt.
Hockey is a big part of the family
According to the father, Andrew Jeannotte, the place of hockey is important for many reasons
: it keeps young people busy and motivated.
When you look at Lac Barrière and where we live, it’s extremely isolated
, explained Andrew Jeannotte, this is the reason why it is so important for us to do [cette patinoire] and make sure they skate all the time to keep them busy and motivated
.
I think a lot of First Nations children know the connection between hockey and tradition. The first to make hockey sticks were the Mi’kmaq. There is an important connection between this sport and the rich history of Indigenous peoples in Canada.
, assured Andrew Jeannotte.
In one of the videos, the young Washiiyeh wears the jersey of Jordin Tootoo, the famous retired Inuk player who wore the colors of the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL, among others. Besides, the name of Washiiyeh means the loudest thunder
in Algonquin, inspired by the Inuktitut name of Jordin Tootoo.
Washiiyeh Jeannotte met former NHL player Jordin Tootoo when he visited his community of Lac Barrière in 2019.
Photo: Courtesy Andrew Jeannotte
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In 2019, the two hockey enthusiasts met when Jordin Tootoo came to Lac Barrière to speak at a youth rally. This greatly moved Washiiyeh who was in tears, his father said.
The number of subscribers to the TikTok barrierelakehockey4 account continues to climb. More than 2,700 people are already following it.
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