Below are some words from a fellow member of our netball community that we wish to give a platform to share her truth:

My name is Tracy Leach. I come from the T’it’q’et nation and I acknowledge that I am on unceded and traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples – sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) nations. I am a grateful visitor.

I have been an avid Netball player since I was a teenager. Some of my fondest memories are of playing, learning, winning ( and losing), traveling and making friendships that I still cherish to this day, 40 years later! I am very grateful to have found the sport of netball. It provided a certain support and direction that I very much needed in my life.

I have been asked if I wanted to say a few words to the netball community, acknowledging the atrocities that took place in the Kamloops Residential School (on Tk’emlups te Sewcepemc First Nation territory) and across Canada.

My mother and relatives are Residential School Survivors and I have lived the fallout of this unthinkable history…..

I believe this is an opportunity to reflect, mourn and feel the impact of this horrific news, not only as a Nation but as individuals as this is not a “Indigenous issue” but a Canadian one .

My wish and hope is…..that we not only ask ourselves what “we” can do but also what “I” can do to create change (in honouring the lost and murdered children) so that this can never happen again in our history.

I appreciate this opportunity to not let this news slip away but to begin to have conversations about this and to use this painful history as a catalyst. Make a commitment in informing yourself about our history that is not found in our history books. All our voices are needed at this time more then ever!

Also, taking action can be a “next step”…….A great place to start is, www.activehistory.ca ( 150 acts of Reconciliation)

Thank you so much for this space to speak my truth!