His older brother Braelyn, who plays for Delta Hockey Academy U15 had a similar takeaway.
“It was really fun because I got to play on the big ice and I’m really excited to get that experience again,” he said. “There were a bunch of players that I’ve never met before.”
Accustomed to being one of the few Black players on his team, the skate offered a rare and powerful shift in perspective.
“There are more people of colour that play hockey [thank I thought] because usually when you’re playing hockey with your respective teams, it feels like you don’t see that as much,” Braelyn said.
Derrick said the relationships built through the skate have extended beyond the ice in a single day, with families staying in touch and their kids training together with Perry Kane, founder of Spot on Hockey, throughout the year.
“It impacted the relationships they’ve built,” he said. “They made friends, and they got opportunity to actually train with other kids they wouldn’t otherwise have met.”
Barbara says the joy her sons have for the game started at home, with Braelyn taking a liking to it early on and Zakai was just keeping up with his brother. Braelyn and Zakai also have older cousins that play hockey, so Derrick and Barbara would take them to watch games.
“Ever since Braelyn could walk, he was always carrying a ball and a stick with him, and we did watch a lot of hockey with my parents,” Barbara said.
Like many parents, the Nunleys want to support what their children love. This skate has provided reassurance that their sons can pursue that love in a space where they feel fully welcomed.
“The Canucks having events like this is really beneficial for kids to feel welcome to a sport,” Derrick said. “It’s hard because hockey is a very competitive sport, so that inclusiveness is very important, especially for minority kids to feel welcomed and feel that openness. It can go a long way from them loving the game to them just giving up playing the game.”
Brathwaite’s vision of this skate going forward is to find more kids to attend every year.
“The goal is to find these kids, have them come out, and provide the opportunity for more and more kids like me and the kids that are coming out every year. Hopefully it expands to another level every year,” Brathwaite said.
The Black Excellence Skate is opening doors to build confidence and ensure that every player who steps onto the ice can see a place for themselves in the game.