The Saugeen Thunderbirds took to the diamond on the opening night of the Ontario Native Fastball Championships with more than just the game on their minds. The defending champions were wearing uniforms from the Orange Jersey Project (OJP). “My grandparents are survivors of the residential school system and if it wasn’t for them surviving that I wouldn’t be here today,” said Garrett Pucan of the Thunderbirds. “Then to represent these orange shirts means a lot to all these teams here not just Saugeen. We have our children running around here, they’re kind of everywhere, but that’s another generation of them watching us play and then they grow up to play and then just keep, keep it going.” The OJP began with Tyler Fuller, a former pro hockey player from Kawacatoose First Nation, who was moved to act after the discovery of 215 unmarked graves in Kamloops. Fuller partnered with Phyllis Webstad, the founder of Orange Shirt Day, and together, they launched a national movement. “With the Orange Jersey Project, it’s a conversation piece beyond Orange Shirt Day,” said Sheena Merling, project manager for OJP. “It’s bringing orange jerseys into the sport.” Over three years, the project has gone from 500 teams to more than 1,000 across Canada and the United States. They’ve even expanded to more sports including Lacrosse and Football. “We don’t put our own shirts away,” said Merling. “When we go into the sports, that orange shirt comes out again. That conversation comes out again. It becomes an outdoor learning experience. When you’re non-Indigenous and then you’re indigenous, it’s bringing those worlds together.” The players have their own special reasons for putting on the unique uniforms. “I think putting this jersey on, especially we have children and to show them that we can wear these jerseys and in a in a positive way and wear them proudly,” said Taylor Cameron of the Thunderbirds. Their kids have also been learning about the history of residential schools in school. “Orange Shirt Day is about kids that went to school and never came home,” said one of the players young sons. “Our kids are here standing on the sidelines watching the men play, you know, and you know, they’re learning from the same as I did when I was growing up,” said Tim Kewageshig of the Thunderbirds. Earlier this month, the Kitchener Panthers of the Canadian Baseball League wore custom jerseys. The Thunderbirds were proud to wear the orange jerseys to support truth, reconciliation, and the Every Child Matters movement in a game against Barrie. Fuller threw out the ceremonial first pitch. The Thunderbirds were proud to wear them but believe every day should be Orange Shirt Day. “We survived the travesties that happened to our grandparents,” said Pucan. “To wear orange, to remember where we came from and where we’re going and never forget the things that happened and pass that on to our children”.
