Former NHL player Akim Aliu establishes BIPOC youth hockey team in Toronto

More than 100 youth hockey teams competed in atournament this weekend in Toronto but one team madea very special debut.

Former Canadian NHL hockey player Akim Aliuhelped to establisha first of its kind BIPOC(Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) team that played in the tournament in the Westwood Arena in Etobicoke.

"I didn't think something like this would ever happen," Aliutold CBC Toronto on the weekend. "I'm kind of speechless to be able to provide this for the kids."

The team was founded by Aliu's Time to DreamFoundation, an organization established to help underprivileged youth "succeed in life through sport" by making sports more inclusive, diverseand accessible.

The cause hits close to home for the former professionalathlete.

Aliu said he didn't always have the financial opportunities to play hockey and in tournamentswhen he was growing up.

He has also been vocal about the racial abuse he suffered during his hockey career. The 31-year-oldjourneyman played a total of sevenNHL games with the Calgary Flames before bouncing around various otherleagues.

In November 2019, Aliu posted a series of tweets describing the racist experiences he suffered during his time in professional hockey, including specific examples with now-former Flames coach Bill Peters.

Speaking out has promptedhim to use his platform tomake sure that the finances andopportunities are available for otherkids who might also face the same hurdles, especially those in the BIPOC community.

"It's an all minority team so I'm overwhelmed with emotion and super excited to be able to give these kids the opportunity," Aliu said.

He said the childrenon the team come from a variety of communities, including Black, Brown, Asianand Indigenous.

"We feel like, if more kids from different demographics get into hockey, the pool of talent expands."

Coaches thrilled to participate

And while the team has been a great opportunity for the children, it's been a special moment for the other coaches as well.

Aaron Atwell, the team's assistant coach, said he is thrilled to be involved.

"It's amazing, I didn't think I'd get to be a part of something like this," Atwell said. "Growing up I'd see P.K.Subban or Akim but never this many visible minorities, especially on one team. I didn't think that was ever possible. The kids are amazing. They're brave for doing this."

'It's not about how you look. It's about how you play.'

The players themselves haveexpressed excitementand gratitude.

"What I like about hockey is the competitiveness," said Enrico Champagne, one of the players on the team.

"I like hockey because I like scoring goals and I can't wait to go to the NHL and live my dream," said Ryan Sirisombath, another player on the team.

"It's not about how you look.It's about how you play."

Aliusaid he hopes the experiences that the childrenhave being part of theteam will extend to their lives outside of sports.

"I'm hoping I can give them the tools, and our team here, collectively,can give them the tools to be successful, not just in hockey, but in life in general."

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.