For the 7th consecutive year, Canada’s national pastime will be celebrated in our Nation’s Capital. On June 7 and 8, the Canadian Tire Center will feature a unique brand of hockey, as over 2,500 street hockey players gather to take part in Canada’s largest sports festival – Play On!
One of 21 such events across Canada, Play On! Ottawa will feature games spanning both gender and all ages and skill
levels. Competitors and spectators can expect recreational competition as well as high-level play. Players in the Elite, Under 19 and Under 17 divisions will battle for the opportunity to earn an invitation to Play On!’s National championships in Kingston Ontario, where the best in the country will battle it out for the Redwood Cup.
What separates Play On! from traditional sports tournaments is its focus on celebrating the grassroots culture of the sport that many thought would never leave the drive-ways in which it began. While street hockey in its purest form is in the spotlight, the Play On! event series is also about more than just determining who are Canada’s best street hockey teams. Food trucks, contests, live music and celebrity games make each Play On! event a family-friendly festival. It could be argued that there has never been a sporting event that has done as much to nurture the growth of its sport as Play On! has done in the past 11 years. Play On! tournaments remind us all that with sticks, a ball, and some friends, anyone can become a part of our national obsession.
That grassroots cultural message has clearly paid off – Play On! has been growing steadily and shows no sign of slowing down. With its multi-day festival layout and nationally broadcast final rounds on CBC, Play On! has been creating new heroes and dreams for our nation’s youth. As the ice hockey season winds to a close, our street hockey season is just beginning and what better way to kick off the season than with a celebration of how this grassroots sport has touched our families’ lives. Is your team in?
All teams must register before midnight on June 3. For more information, including ticket prices and event details, visit www.playon.ca.
