Evans named Hockey Canada Champion
Female Black teen dedicated to helping youth, promoting representation
TRURO - Willa Evans has been named a Hockey Canada Champion for her commitment to the community and contributions to Black youth in sport.
For the 17-year-old, the award is all about giving back. Since 2019, Willa has been making the drive on Saturday mornings to the Black Youth Hockey Program at the RBC Centre in Dartmouth. There, she volunteers with young Black players.
“I don't have very many people around me right now who are the same as me,” said Willa, who wants to see more BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) in sport. “And when I go there on Saturday, it's just like an automatic hug. When I walk into the rink, everyone says, ‘hi,’ and all the kids are smiling. It's just a good feeling, being around people like me, sometimes.”
One day after school, her mother, Lesley Evans, told her she needed to join a Zoom call. On it was Dean Smith, Chair of Hockey Nova Scotia’s Diversity & Inclusion Task Force, and a representative from Hockey Canada, who told her she had won an award.
“I was like, ‘Oh, my goodness, gracious,’” said Evans. “I was honestly stunned. I couldn't speak.”
Willa is captain of the Fundy Highland’s U18 AA hockey program. She is also involved in several other initiatives, including the NHL/ NHLPA First Shift program helping kids ease into the sport and Hockey Canada Foundation’s Dreams Come True providing financial assistance for children. As well, she is involved with Truro Lions Track and Field and Colchester Multisport.
“I was so overjoyed for her because she has been contributing to these programs year after year and never asked for a single thing in return,” said Smith. “And I am so grateful that her volunteerism and her commitment to community is being recognized. And I truly believe her girl superpower is “community uplift” because she is always responding to requests for assistance and rarely says no.”
Smith first learned about Willa from an old friend and former schoolteacher, Nolan Borden, during the Apex Golf Tournament. She was immediately receptive to the opportunity to help with the Black Youth Hockey Program, which had 36 skaters new to hockey this season. During their first meeting, he presented her with a Hockey Nova Scotia tracksuit.
“The moment we introduced ourselves and I presented her with tracksuit, she was smiling from ear to ear,” said Smith. “I remember like it was yesterday. She was so excited to be there.”
Her spirit is part of why he nominated her.
“It's so natural to her,” said Smith. “She's so giving of her time and so helpful with the kids – it's amazing … she's stepped up to the plate every single time she's been asked,” said Smith.
The recognition includes a video feature on the Hockey Canada website, which was a surreal experience for Willa.
“I asked (the cameraperson) if this is what celebrities felt like,” said Willa. “Because I was walking through the door to go down and go into the dressing room to help the kids and he was filming me … it was a crazy experience. Definitely something I'm going to remember.”
She ended up seeing the video for the first time alone in her room with excitement, since she was isolating with COVID. Willa said she cried and was so happy to see her dad, Truro Bearcats coach/general manager Shawn Evans, friend Elisabeth Maceachern and coach Stephan Alexander included.
“Like every parent, I’m proud of my kid," said Evans. “The notoriety with that type of award beats out an MVP or top scorer award any day of the week.”
Teenagers on Instagram have commented excitement seeing someone their age featured, and Willa adds that the community has been “just incredible.”
“Feels amazing knowing that they're all behind me," said Willa. “Volunteering is so amazing. And I’m just glad that I can put it out there more. Even being, like, 17.”
Smith said she has a great future and hopes she will consider university or college hockey. Whatever she does, he knows she’ll “give it 100 per cent.”
“I think visibility is everything, particularly when you're trying to change the culture of a sport that hasn't always been welcoming to players of colour, to Indigenous players, to other communities,” said Smith. “So, having junior coaches like Willa, and a number of other junior coaches, including Mark Connors, in our program, our young youth get to see role models. They get to see young, African Nova Scotian players succeed at the highest levels in the game. And we're hoping that will spark their desire to continue and to achieve in the game.”
The busy teenager is itching for isolation to end so she can get back onto the ice. When asked why she loves volunteering with kids, she says she wants to become an elementary school teacher.
“Honestly, I just love seeing (kids), like they're all so cute," said Willa, gushing. “I see them with these opportunities that like me as a kid that I didn't get because they weren't around when I was a kid. And I feel like it's really important for a lot of people to get involved, to see different people that help, around them.”
“When I walk into the rink, everyone says, ‘hi,’ and all the kids are smiling. It’s just a good feeling, being around people like me, sometimes.” Willa Evans