The National Aboriginal Hockey Championship’s games will begin on Tuesday. The contingents, all 18 boys are girls teams made up of the best Aboriginal hockey players in the bantam and midget-age categories will get their practice time today at either Takhini Arena or the Canada Games Centre.

The Championship will bring exciting, high-quality hockey to Whitehorse. There will also be exciting opportunities for those who can’t make it to the capital. BC Hockey in partnership with the Vancouver Canucks, Air North, and the Yukon Government Sport and Recreation Branch will be bringing the Air North National Aboriginal Hockey Championship School Tour to four surrounding communities.

On Saturday at Takhini, 30 kids who had never played organized hockey before, learned the basics of skating and hockey. The local coaches who were helping were joined on the ice by Vancouver Canucks alumni Dave Babych and Jyrki Lumme.

The Canucks’ mascot Fin also joined the youth on the ice to lend a “hand”.

It is the first time the Vancouver Canucks Learn to Skate program has been held in Whitehorse.

As the 30 participants took to the ice outfitted in their new gear, provided to them as part of the program, there was some falls and some nervousness. For some, it was their first time stepping onto ice.

After they had done a few laps they were called to the centre of the rink to be introduced to Lumme and Babych.

“Did you ever win a Stanley Cup,” yelled one young athlete to Babych.

“No. But thanks for reminding me,” he responded through a laugh.

Babych, who played defence for the Canucks for seven seasons, has been a part of the Learn to Skate program for three years. It was his first time back in the Yukon in 30 years.

“I love it up here, it’s the way it should be,” said Babych. “I really like this type of area.”

He said hitting the rink with the young kids is always a good time.

“We always have fun out here,” said Babych. “When the first kid came out … and some of them it’s their first time on the ice and you’re thinking ‘OK this is going to be a tough one’. But then all of a sudden you work with them, you kind of have to get them engaged.

“Some of them are shy and might not have friends out here yet, but that’s what hockey is all about. Once they get out here and see the other kids going, even if they can’t go that hard, they just get their feet wet. By the end of it, they were all skating real well. They had smiles on their faces and no one was on the bench.”

When it comes to teaching first timers the game Babych said it is important to make them feel comfortable on the ice.

“It’s probably the first thing you have to do,” said Babych. “(They need to) know they aren’t going to come out here and get judged, even by the other kids. They are all in the same boat. They are all nervous, you know, they’ve got this beautiful new equipment and I think they are thrilled about that, but now it’s time to get on the ice.

“That’s the idea. Get them the equipment, get them on the ice and get them to experience the team atmosphere of hockey and create friends that way.”

By creating that fun team atmosphere the hope is that the kids will get inspired and continue with the sport.

“Exactly, and you know, keep them out of trouble,” said Babych.

“Jyrki is here with me and we’ve been friends ever since we played. It doesn’t matter what league your in or anywhere. Even kids I played with when I was younger – still friends with them.

“It’s something that is a conduit of life. It doesn’t necessarily have to be hockey, it could be any sport or any kind of group. It’s just a matter of taking that first step and getting involved.”

Even if the kids at the Learn to Skate clinic on Saturday don’t stick with hockey Babych hopes that maybe it is the start of friendships.

“I think that’s what it’s about. If I wasn’t in hockey I wouldn’t know him,” said Babych while gesturing to Lumme, “some Finnish guy from across the world.

“Everyone’s different. It doesn’t matter if your playing baseball or playing soccer there is all the same characters. There is a couple goofy guys, a few quiet people and then you learn how to be good teammates and work together.”

Lumme, a defenceman, spent nine seasons with the Canucks. During his tenure with the organization, he was named the club’s annual top defenceman four times. He became the team’s all-time top goal- and point-scoring defenceman (but was surpassed by Mattias Ohlund in 2007). He was also part of the team’s run to the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals.

It was Lumme’s first time in the Yukon.

“It’s great so far,” said Lumme. “It’s too bad we can’t stay longer.”

Lumme, like Babych, has been a part of the Learn to Skate program for three years. He said watching the kids progression is something special.

“It’s great to see these kids,” said Lumme. “It looks like it (that they are having fun). I hope that’s the case. It’s great to see them. Over the years, the kids, four/five-year-olds, first time on the ice and they are falling all over the place. They learn quick. It’s unbelievable how quick they learn.”

Lumme said it was nice to see the kids be so receptive to the coaching as well as getting involved in the game.

“Yeah and some of them were probably wondering ‘who the hell are these guys?’ But it’s great,” said Lumme. “We both grew up, he (Babych) grew up in Edmonton, I grew up in Finland, so we were skating outdoors and hockey was a big deal. It’s great to see kids getting into the sport.”

He hopes the Learn to Skate program gives the kids a good foundation to start and then stay in hockey.

“Exactly, and it’s happening,” said Lumme. “I’ve talked to a lot of people all around the lower mainland and a lot of these kids who have signed up for Learn to Skate they’ve stayed with hockey.

“Obviously hockey is expensive so they get a set of gear with the Canucks logo so they look cool. Hopefully, a lot of them stay and play hockey. It’s a great sport. You don’t have to be overly competitive, just to play is great. Hopefully, they stay within the game.”

Lumme agreed there was some talent out on the ice for them to pick up the fundamentals so quickly.

“Oh yeah, but it all comes down to how much you enjoy it,” said Lumme. “If you enjoy it you work hard. Sure, it’s not for everybody and also some kids are so scared for the first time and they don’t want to get on the ice.

“But after a couple of times they get used to it and with all the gear falling down is no big deal. We all fall down all the time, get up and go.”

After their time on the ice, the new hockey players lined the boards near the benches and got autographs from Babych, Lumme, and Fin.

Stacie Couch of BC Hockey helped bring the Learn to Skate program to Whitehorse and will be travelling to the communities as part of the School Tour.

She said in B.C., and places outside of the lower mainland, kids tend to register for hockey after doing Learn to Skate.

“For sure,” said Couch. “Especially when we go to smaller communities or take it outside of the lower mainland and bring it places like Whitehorse; we have also been to Ashcroft and Hazelton.

Those places have definitely seen an increase in their registration the following year. Hopefully, Whitehorse will as well.”

Starting today, representatives from BC Hockey, the NAHC and the Yukon Government will be travelling to Carmacks to give youth at Tantalus Community School the opportunity to learn hockey through floorball.

The kids and the schools involved will get a demonstration on basic hockey skills, a deliverable educational program and the donation of a set of floorball equipment for the children to continue to learn hockey skills and remain physically active.

Couch said it’s about giving the kids in the communities the opportunity to play.

“That’s exactly it,” said Couch. “Some of these small communities, they have to travel to play hockey. If we leave floorball at their school then they can play during gym, they can play after-school during after school programs and don’t have to travel and still get to play the game Canada loves to play.”

Although they have not yet been to the communities, or all of them, Couch said the reception to the program has been positive.

“Very positive, very excited to have us up here,” said Couch. “Even talking to parents here they can’t believe something like this has come to Whitehorse and have their kids involved.”

Once the School Tour is done in Carmacks this afternoon it will head back to Whitehorse for the Kwanlin Dün First Nation After School Program.

Tuesday, it will be in Carcross, Wednesday in Teslin and Thursday in Pelly Crossing.

All 18 teams competing in the 2019 NAHC will have their opportunity to practice today.

Round-robin play will begin tomorrow. The female Team North team will have two games. They start their tournament against B.C. at 11 a.m., at Takhini. Following the opening ceremonies at 8 p.m., the team will be back on the ice to play Saskatchewan - both at Takhini.

The male Team North team has a bye on Tuesday and start their tournament on Wednesday with two games. Their first game is against Ontario at 11 a.m., then against Manitoba at 8:30 p.m., both games are at Takhini Arena.