U18 - U18-2 Hurtubise

44th Annual NGHA Paint It Purple for DIFD Tournament

@ Nepean Sportsplex - Pad 2 (MacDonald)

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Annual DIFD Tournament

January 30th-February 1st, 2026 and February 6th-8th, 2026

On the weekends of January 30th-February 1st, 2026 and February 6th-8th, 2026 we will be hosting our 44th Annual Do It For Daron (DIFD) Competitive and House league girls hockey tournaments.  We will be welcoming 209 teams, from across Ontario and across the NCR, over both weekends!

We have joined forces with the DIFD foundation, which aligns with the Nepean Girls Hockey Association’s commitment to building healthy athletes, both in body and mind. 

Background

On November 13th, 2010, 14-year-old Daron Richardson died by suicide. Daron was a local Bantam AA player at the time of her death. From this tragedy came a movement to transform youth mental health. Spearheaded by Daron’s parents Luke (formerly of the Ottawa Senators and currently Head Coach of the Chicago Blackhawks) and Stephanie Richardson, they decided to transform their very private pain into a public call-to-action. A decision was made to support young people who suffer in silence from the pain and stigma of mental illness.

DIFD encourages young people to talk openly about mental illness and to ask for help when needed. It provides young people, their parents, teachers, coaches and other adult role models with the resources, outlets and, most importantly, courage to overcome the shame and fear of discussing mental illness. The purple DIFD heart, a creation inspired by Daron’s favourite colour, has become the youth-driven symbol of this movement.