A minor hockey player from the Chemainus First Nation has skated his way onto a tier-one team in the Cowichan Valley.

Darian Harris, 10, is playing right wing this season for the Capitals in the atom division.

“I like playing hockey. It’s one of my favourite sports,” said Harris, who also plays lacrosse and soccer.

Tim Harris, Darian’s father and a member of the Chemainus band council, said his son’s selection to the competetive squad is a rare and important athletic accomplishment among members of the First Nation.

Tim said he hopes Darian can be somewhat of a role model or inspiration for other young athletes to pursue their interests in organized sport, which is only possible by travelling off the reserve.

“He’s the first-ever A (-level) player on the reserve,” Tim said.

Darian said he enjoys playing on the team because it’s competitive and he’s with players he knows well.

“I like it,” he said while overlooking the ice at Fuller Lake Arena, shortly after his team had defeated another from Port Alberni 12-0.

For most of his life, Darian has been active on the ice. He started in the CanSkate program at age three and then took up hockey at five, playing defense.

“But now I’m forward,” said Darian, who is in Grade 5 at Ladysmith Intermediate School.

“I like scoring goals and getting assists,” he added.

Getting on the team may have been more challenging than usual for Darian as he came down with a case of mononucleosis before the tryouts. Although he missed getting evaluated with the rest of the players, the coaching staff invited him to some practices and games and then let him know the good news in September.

Darian also has big dreams for his hockey playing, saying he hopes to play at the post-secondary or NHL-level someday.

He said his favourite pro is Inuit Jordin Tootoo, a player from Manitoba who is a right winger for the Nashville Predators. Darian has even gone to see Tootoo play in games against the Canucks at GM Place.

Although the costs and committment involved in supporting children through sports can be fairly high, Tim said parents on the Chemainus reserve can always look to the family or the community for additional help. He summed up his thoughts with his own take on the proverb that it takes a village to raise a child.

“Sometimes it takes a community to put some of the kids through sport,” Tim said.