“As an Indigenous person and an Indigenous hockey player, we obviously know there are not many (Indigenous) players, especially in the PWHL,” Roque said. “So I think it’s important to be visible, to try to be accessible, have these relationships where at least they’ve come to a game, they’ve met somebody, they think it’s accessible and that it’s attainable, and because it (hockey) is for them.
“If they want to play, and they work hard and they have the skill, and they have the love of the game, it is possible to make it to the PWHL one day.”
Sky-Deer said Roque’s talk caught the students’ attention and led to an autograph session that went into overtime.
“It took a good hour and a half to get through everybody, it was so well received,” Sky-Deer said. “She’s really changed people’s interest now in the sport from this community, who are going to be lifelong fans now.”
Roque followed up her school visit with a hockey clinic for about 35 girls last month at the Kahnawà:ke Sports Complex.
“I played a lot of my youth hockey on the rink on the reserve,” she said. “Here, I went to the rink and there were definitely a lot of parallels. It feels kind of at-home.”
Meeting Roque left a lasting impression on Niiohenta:’a Diabo, a 17-year defenseman with the Suroit Rockettes, a U18 A girls’ team.
“It gives me hope for the future that, like, more Indigenous athletes will make it far, because I know that wasn’t a very big option in the past,” Diabo said. “But seeing other Indigenous athletes pursue their careers, it’s really awesome.”