The Cowichan Strong Mini-Pitch at the Si'em Lelum soccer fields officially opened under sunny skies on June 20 with a community celebration that featured a special ribbon cutting, speeches, games, prizes, and more.
“I raise my hands to Hope and Health, and their key partners for their support and collaboration to make a mini-pitch possible in our community,” said Cowichan Tribes Chief Cindy Daniels. “I know our smun’eem (children) can’t wait to get to play on it, make new friends, see how their skills improve with practice, experience the magic of teamwork, and, most importantly, have fun.”
The mini-pitch, which can be used for soccer, basketball, floor hockey and more, is the seventh mini-pitch for Hope and Health, with support from Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Penelakut Strong was the first mini-pitch opened in September 2021, and additional pitches include Snaw-naw-as Strong (Nanoose), Tla’amin Strong (Powell River), Stz’uminus (Ladysmith) Strong, Snuneymuxw (Nanaimo) Strong, Ts’uubaa-asatx Strong (Lake Cowichan), as well as Sts’ailes Strong (Agassiz), which officially opened last Monday. Malahat Strong is set to open this summer.
"We are honoured and thankful to be welcomed here with Cowichan Tribes and Hope and Health to celebrate the opening ceremony of this beautiful mini-pitch,” said Whitecaps FC head coach Vanni Sartini. “It’s rewarding to play a small part in today’s opening, and I look forward to hearing how the community has enjoyed the pitch for years to come, inspiring children's hopes and dreams of playing soccer. We are grateful for our partnership with Hope and Health in making this vision come to life.”
Along with the pitch, the partners have developed a five-on-five Champions League which will give Cowichan Tribes youth a competitive environment with high-level coaching to help their technical development. Whitecaps FC staff noted that as more pitches are constructed, Champions League play will expand across communities and fellow nations.
While Whitecaps FC is most certainly known in B.C. for soccer, Hope and Health, too, focuses on the world's game. The group's aim is "to inspire hope, improve the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and life conditions for Indigenous children and youth through soccer" and the organization's goal is to use the sport as a tool for "reconciliACTION" as it relates to to the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls To Action, specific to Sports and Reconciliation.
"The Hope and Health vision is for Indigenous children and youth to carry themselves with pride and confidence, achieve their highest potential and dream big," said the group.
Hope and Health, chief executive officer Deana Gill said it was a thrill to partner with Cowichan Tribes and core funders such as Scotiabank, MLS Works, Musco, Knox Contracting, Ocean Marker, Identity Graphics, and Dab Installations.
Gill noted Cowichan's relationship with Hope and Health as one of the original communities bringing their youth to the Vancouver Island annual community camps since 2012.
"This mini-pitch not only adds a new multi-sport facility, but it also brings programming infrastructure with a new head coach, who is already in the elementary school making the Hope and Health magic happen and is very excited to take that action onto the mini-pitch very soon," said Gill. “We are thrilled to partner with Cowichan Tribes and the amazing core funders to bring this multi-sport mini-pitch to their community knowing how much the children, youth — and adults — will enjoy this sports hub!”