Junior All Native Tournament hits Kelowna March 16 with introduction of under-10 division

Big tournament hits city

Photo: Anita Charleson-Touchie

Ucluelet First Nation coach Tyson Touchie rallies the Itty Bitty Ballers at a Feb. 7 10U and 13U All Native Basketball tournament hosted by Hitacu Basketball.

One of the largest basketball tournaments in Canada is about to blast off in Kelowna, B.C.

On March 16, Syilx Nation will welcome 116 First Nations teams from all over the province for the 2025 Junior All Native Tournament (JANT) and Spring Basketball Fest.

The week-long hoops extravaganza spans across seven gymnasiums and showcases 17U and 13U girls and boys’ teams, plus the inclusion of 10U-co-ed teams this year.

“There were so many littles that just wanted to play basketball and follow in the footsteps of their siblings or cousins,” said Tara Montgomery, JANT tournament director and member of Syilx Nation.

“Basketball itself is so ingrained in our communities that it’s kind of a good fit to get them out there younger,” she said.

With the soaring popularity of the 13U division launched in 2017, Montgomery said creating a 10U division was the next natural step to develop love for the game early on.

“Eight teams applied this year and we’re trying to evaluate if we can accommodate two more teams. It’s going to be a big year to organize that many teams,” said Montgomery, a long-time basketball mom of three boys, who have all aged out of JANT.

Also new for this year are Gold and Silver groupings for the 13U girls and boys teams.

“In 13U there’s a big difference when kids are maturing. It’s just that growth spurt between the girls and the boys at that age,” she said.

Tyson Touchie of the Ucluelet First Nation has been going to JANT as a player, parent or coach since the ‘80s. He thought his days of coaching were behind him until his wife Anita got wind there was going to be a 10U division this year.

“I really did think I was done,” he chuckled. “Last year was my first Junior All Native that I got to go and just be a fan and watch our kids play. It felt really good. No stress, just got to watch and cheer and see the opening ceremonies.”

Now, he’s officially out of retirement and back on the court, holding practice twice a week to prepare the Hitacu Itty Bitty Ballers 10U team for their first JANT experience.

“It never ends. For right now, it’s all about skills and keeping it fun. I just want them to enjoy the game first. This is the hook. I really hope that they take to it,” he said.

Touchie’s youngest daughter Taleah, 8, is joined by his grandkids Tayeh, Byron and Jake on the Itty Bitty Ballers bench. He also has a daughter, Tiani, on Ucluelet First Nation's 13U girls team and his daughter Jaysen will play for the Tseshaht Pride 17U girls team. His eldest daughter Skylene is a past 17U JANT champion.

Back in the day, Touchie recalls coaches being militant and having “zero empathy”, but things are different now, with coaches prioritizing emotional health as much as they do basketball skills.

“For me it’s all about them learning to like the game and to feel comfortable out there,” he said.

It’s going to take over 50 volunteers and every single referee in the Okanagan Valley to pull off a tournament the size of JANT, and according to Montgomery, they’ll be utilizing youth refs from the Kelowna minor basketball association and some collegiate athletes from Okanagan college.

“The tournament is getting so big that one of the biggest challenges is having all the facilities to actually host. As much as we’d like it to grow, it also limits smaller communities from hosting. It does require a little bit of capacity to make this happen. I’m lucky I have some great committee members, good people on board and people who know the game of basketball to support the tournament,” she said, adding that the JANT organizing committee is beyond excited to see more youth getting into the sport.

“Basketball has been a huge part of First Nations culture in B.C. and I think as First Nations people we realize that, but a lot of other people don’t really realize the impact that basketball has on our communities, especially our youth,” she said.

“We see the impact that this tournament has on our youth and on our children. For me, it’s for the kids. I think, in this day and age, anything we can do to support out youth is worth it,” Montogomery continued.

JANT 2025 Opening Ceremonies take place on March 16 at 2 p.m. at the University of British Columbia- Okanagan Campus Gymnasium. Fans will also get to cheer on 17U athletes in a three-point contest and a 13U sprint contest. For more details and to view the complete list of participating teams, visit jant.ca/teams/.