These families left the Mackenzie Delta for Yukon, and a chance to pursue their hockey dreams

Thirteen-year-old William Gruben said when he first moved from Inuvik, N.W.T., to Whitehorse in August 2024, he missed his friends back home. 

His family decided to make the move to give their son a chance to excel in hockey, a sport he says he loves and hopes to play in university or college one day.

"Obviously it's not an easy decision to uproot your whole family and relocate to a new surrounding," said William's father, Christopher Gruben. 

"You have to think of things like housing, and education as well too. You leave all your support systems behind, you leave all the familiarities of the local life."

Christopher said the move has paid off as William's game has improved and he's now made friends in their new community. 

Christopher said they chose Whitehorse partially due to its relative proximity to Inuvik via the Dempster Highway. Another reason was Whitehorse's reputation for developing high-level hockey players like Ottawa Senators centre Dylan Cozens, and top prospect Gavin McKenna. 

'Leaving the traditional life'

Christopher and William followed in the footsteps of another family from the Mackenzie Delta.

Gary Jerome, who's Gwich'in, moved from Fort McPherson, N.W.T., to Whitehorse in 2017 so his son Evander Jerome could play competitive hockey.

The move was a sacrifice. 

"It's leaving the bush life right? It's leaving the traditional life of hunting, trapping, fishing," Gary said. 

Gary says the move wasn't just for hockey, it was also due to a lack of general recreational sports available in Fort McPherson. 

"Mental health is such a problem right now, and what do kids do when they have nothing to do?" he said.  

Evander said he appreciates having access to the sports facilities in Whitehorse. He's also happy to have William Gruben on the team. 

"He's like one of my closest friends," Evander said. 

Improving their game

Evander and William played together on the U-13 Whitehorse Mustangs, a competitive travelling hockey team. 

Jeff Frizzell, head coach of the Mustangs, says that in his time as coach he's had players move to Whitehorse from other communities in the Yukon, but Evander and William are the first he can remember from the Mackenzie Delta. 

"I've only met two players from that area of the world and they're both just outstanding hockey players," Frizzell said.

"I'm not sure the exact reasons they moved to Whitehorse. I'm sure it's to play more competitive hockey, but I really hope there's programming for kids in those areas." 

Both Evander and William have helped their team in big moments at high-level tournaments and they got the chance to play for an elite hockey program in B.C. this spring. 

"Two Mackenzie Delta boys are having a huge impact on this high-level hockey ... that's huge," Christopher Gruben said.

This also may not be the last time the young players need to move. If William and Evander keep succeeding they may need to move south for higher levels of hockey that even Whitehorse doesn't offer. 

"And then how do you make that work financially? Do you hope work helps to accommodate you to the best they can? Do you find random work to help cover the cost while you're away?" Christopher said.

Both parents said hockey is costly, but they have gotten support from various community members and businesses in the Mackenzie Delta.

They said they wish there was more support from Indigenous governments to either help young people pursue competitive sports or at least offer more recreational sports in the communities.

William Gruben says he's happy in Whitehorse, he just wishes his friends in Inuvik had the same opportunities as him.

"The program here, if it was in Inuvik, it would be really good for the kids and the development there," he said.