The Saanich Braves are following the lead of the Cleveland Indians and Washington Redskins and renaming the team.
In a release, team owners Edward Geric and Norm Kelly said, “The Saanich Junior Braves name is not respectful to our First Nations and does not reflect the valued relationships we hold with local First Nations communities or with our First Nations players.”
Geric and Kelly added, “We have decided to rename the team and have started a process to develop a name that upholds our core values. Community, excellence, and equality are central to everything we do as a hockey team and we commit to our players, families, fans and the whole community to use the changing of our name as an opportunity to contribute to and amplify positive dialogue about race and equality in Canada,”
The Braves have had the name since 1967 and more information about the renaming of the team will be available in the coming weeks.
