Filipino community hosts hockey jamboree for new and advanced players
As part of June’s Filipino Heritage Month celebrations, Filipino hockey players gathered at hockey for all centre for a jamboree, dedicating a day to share their love of hockey. Bringing together so many young hockey players and Filipino families who are fans of the sport is something Ron Cantiveros couldn’t have imagined when he helped spearhead an initiative to increase the number of Filipino hockey players in Manitoba three years ago.
“If you had asked me what Filipino hockey could look like, I would never have imagined we’d be where we are today,” said Cantiveros, a player who still enjoys rec league hockey and a rookie head coach for his son’s U9 team. “None of this would have been possible without that first Filipino Heritage Night game and all the initiatives that have grown from it.”
Cantiveros was first connected to True North Sports + Entertainment and hockey for all centre as a cultural ambassador for the Winnipeg Jets Filipino Heritage Night, which celebrated its third anniversary in the 2024-25 season. As well as celebrating culture and inviting new fans to enjoy the sport, Filipino Heritage Night also raises money through an auction and merchandise sales which go toward initiatives important to the Filipino community, and this year, that included the inaugural Filipino Heritage Hockey Jamboree.
The event welcomed around 50 Filipino hockey players made up of minor hockey league players and First and Second Shift participants. First Shift is a program organized through hockey for all centre that makes hockey more accessible for families new to the sport. Cantiveros is the connection between the program and the Filipino community, and over the past three years he has introduced more than 120 Filipino youth to hockey.
“There’s 100,000 Filipinos in Manitoba. While some might assume we all play basketball, there’s interest in other sports as well,” said Cantiveros. “The opportunities we’ve had as a community to learn how to skate and play hockey have been truly remarkable.”
The Filipino Heritage Hockey Jamboree gave players a chance to have five uninterrupted hours of fun and competitive scrimmaging. As the First Shift program mostly focuses on drills and skill development, many of its players had never had an opportunity to play an actual hockey game.
“A lot of the participants and parents hadn’t experienced hockey past those First Shift and Second Shift opportunities. It was a completely brand-new experience for them because they’ve never been a part of organized hockey or a jamboree.”
The event also gave youth and their parents an opportunity to connect with a larger community of Filipino hockey players and their families.
“It was really important for the kids to see that there are other hockey players that look like them and talk like them,” said Cantiveros. “The parents loved it, and they were able to meet other Filipino hockey parents.”
One of those parents was Joslly Matienzo. Watching her son Lucas learn a new sport in a setting that reflected their culture and community made the Matienzo family excited to get him more involved in hockey.
“It was a real eye-opener for many in our community. A lot of families, especially those with young kids curious about hockey, saw firsthand what’s possible,” said Matienzo. “It gave us hope and inspiration that our children can also be part of this sport in a meaningful way.”
Mixing more advanced hockey players and beginners also helped showcase the growth of hockey in the Filipino community, and the opportunities for Filipino players to reach the next level.
“For the more advanced players and their parents, it was an opportunity for them to see how much interest there is in our community. They’ve never seen what the First Shift and Second Shift programs look like, it’s a lot bigger than they imagined,” said Cantiveros. “For the First Shift players and their parents, seeing players like them at a higher skill level made them excited for their own potential and what might be their next step.”
Cantiveros knows that a barrier for families new to hockey is the unknown of what minor hockey might be like. He’s now in a coaching role for his son’s team, but being fairly new to minor hockey himself, Cantiveros understands the impression that navigating minor hockey programming can be intimidating. However, he encourages parents to take that step for their kids.
“If your kids are excited to play hockey, you have to do everything you can to support them. More than just the on-ice portion, through First Shift, families can learn more about minor hockey, other hockey opportunities, and most of all, enjoy the sense of community that hockey brings.”
By: Christina Klysh
