While the hockey world had its attention on the Stanley Cup Playoffs this spring, world championship hockey was happening right here at UBC Vancouver.
From May 7 to 17, 2025, we hosted the 4th World Deaf Ice Hockey Championships (WDIHC), which brought together the world’s top Deaf hockey talent—more than 100 players on five national teams (Canada, Czechia, Finland, Hungary and USA), plus approximately 50 organizers and volunteers.
Our own team of talent from Conferences and Accommodation (C&A) and SHCS Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), in collaboration with Athletics and Recreation (A&R) and others across the university, made this unique tournament a big success.
Safe, accessible and inclusive accommodation, food and venues was a key priority from the start.
Securing the tournament
In the works since 2019, Ria Natividad, Director of Groups, C&A, and Samantha Mauro, Sales and Service Manager, C&A, began work on the tournament in September 2024, taking the puck from Jillian Klassen, Manager, Venue and Sport Partnerships, C&A/A&R, who played a key role in securing the tournament at UBC.
“The seamless integration of multiple campus services,” says Ria, “was a primary reason we were able to book this significant tournament, along with our commitment to ensuring a safe, accessible and inclusive experience for the Deaf and hard of hearing athletes and organizers.”
“This event was especially meaningful to me because my mom is an audiologist, and I grew up spending time with the Deaf and hard of hearing community. I also have family members who have experienced hearing loss, so it was truly special to see this community represented on such an international scale.” — Samantha Mauro, Sales and Service Manager, Conferences and Accommodation


Planning and preparation: safety, accessibility and inclusivity
“We had several conversations with resource people to better understand the needs of the Deaf and hard of hearing community,” says Ria. “Johanna Webber [Associate Director, Building Services], who has experience working with this community, provided some initial ideas about how we could tailor our services more effectively and who we should connect with at UBC.”
Ria and Samantha also reached out to other Canadian universities who had previously hosted Deaf or hard of hearing groups, and they took UBC’s online course, Disability and Wellness: Hard of Hearing in the Workplace.
These efforts led them to engage the SHCS Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) team, and they worked with Gontran Paget, Senior Manager, SHCS Safety Management Systems, and Valerie Leung, Safety Advisor.
“Gontran and Valerie were instrumental in helping us explore various safety strategies,” says Ria.
“Coordinating player accommodations and safety on campus was a deeply meaningful experience. It was rewarding to know that our work contributed to creating a safe, welcoming and accessible environment, and it was inspiring to see VPS units come together in collaboration to deliver a truly world-class, accessible experience.” — Valerie Leung, Safety Advisor, SHCS Occupational Health and Safety


WDIHC organizers and signage at Place Vanier. Photos courtesy Keanu Jang.
Together, Ria, Samantha, Gontran and Valerie collaborated with colleagues across campus and put in place a number of interventions and supports to help ensure a safe and accessible stay for everyone involved in the tournament:
- They connected with Leah Watson, from UBC’s Centre for Workplace Accessibility, for additional guidance.
- They coordinated efforts with Patrick Urekar, Senior Manager, Arena Operations, A&R—who managed venue bookings and ice time at the Father David Bauer Arena in the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
- They coordinated with the University RCMP detachment and UBC Campus Security, to let them know about the group’s presence on campus and unique needs—in case of an emergency.
- They provided custom safety and welcome packages, which outlined the safety features/limitations at Place Vanier and included floor plans, detailed maps, and emergency contact information.
- They placed clear signage throughout the accommodation site.
- They coordinated with the Residence Dining and Nutrition teams in Food Services to provide appropriate menus and straightforward systems for teams to communicate dietary needs.
- While also ready to provide sign language interpreters, they confirmed that tournament organizers were arranging for interpreters on arrival day and that most teams were planning to travel with their own interpreters.
“Thank you and your team for all that you and your team did for the USA Deaf National Ice Hockey team during our recent stay at Vanier Dormitory on the UBC campus. Everything went like clockwork from check-in to check-out. Thank you again for hosting us in this beautiful city.” — Steve Smart, General Manager, USA Deaf National Ice Hockey Team
Additionally, Samantha personally welcomed each group and provided safety walkthroughs of the Place Vanier accommodation, common space and dining facilities to ensure teams’ comfort and understanding of the site.
“As the main point of contact on-site,” Samantha notes, “I addressed questions and needs before and during the event, coordinating logistics and scheduling across campus services and proactively resolving issues for a smooth and successful experience.”
“I would like to give a special shoutout to Miles Davies,” adds Samantha, “a Front Desk Supervisor at Place Vanier who warmly welcomed the groups and is familiar with ASL, so was able to provide sign language support.”


A strong outcome
“Based on the feedback from all five teams,” says Ria, “the event was a success. They each shared that they had a positive and welcoming experience.”
“A great measure of success is not only how well we delivered during the event but the lasting impression we made, and shortly after the tournament wrapped up, we were already approached about hosting a future conference for the Deaf community, based on a direct referral from the WDIHC organizers.”
“For me, success in hosting a group like this comes down to thoughtful planning, inclusive communication, and genuine collaboration across campus and our SHCS team.” – Ria Natividad, Director, Groups, C&A
Tournament results

🏆 Congratulations, Finland! On Saturday, May 17, Finland took gold over the USA, winning 6 to 3. Learn more.
A unique learning opportunity
Hosting WDIHC offered a unique learning opportunity for everyone involved, from learning more about the Deaf and hard of hearing community to accessing resources and people right here on campus.
“I discovered there are so many resources on campus if you just ask,” says Valerie. “There’s always someone who can guide you in the right direction.”
“Working collaboratively across departments and with various stakeholders is a great way to exchange information, learn from each other, and build connections you might not otherwise have.”
“The biggest takeaway for me,” Samantha adds, “was the critical importance of clear communication and thorough advance planning.”
“From a safety perspective, especially, we gained valuable insights that will help us better support all groups staying in Vanier moving forward.”
“Overall, I’m very satisfied—everything went smoothly. We were welcomed at the airport, and the bus transportation to the venue was seamless. The ice rink is conveniently located near the accommodation, which was beautiful, clean, and well-maintained.” — Roland, Coach, Team Hungary
Thank you to everyone involved
Welcoming these teams to campus and successfully planning and coordinating a safe, accessible and inclusive tournament was truly a team effort.
Many thanks to everyone who helped make this tournament a success:
- Samantha Mauro, C&A
- Ria Natividad, C&A
- Jillian Klassen, C&A/A&R
- Valerie Leung, OHS
- Gontran Paget, OHS
- Patrick Urekar, A&R
- Leah Watson, Centre for Workplace Accessibility
- Robert Auffrey, C&A—and the entire Conference Operations team
- Sean Delaney and Miles Davies, C&A—and the entire Place Vanier Front Desk team
- Johanna Webber and Shawn Dhanda, SHCS Facilities and Building Services—and the entire Building Services and Housekeeping teams at Place Vanier, who helped open Place Vanier a week earlier than normal for our WIDHC guests
- Kerensa Wotton and chef Johnny Bridge, Residence Dining, Gather—and the entire Summer Conference Dining team
- Kyoko Horiguchi and Mollie McAllister, Centre for Accessibility
- University RCMP detachment
- Campus Security
- and everyone else who helped in ways big and small to make this tournament safe, accessible, inclusive and successful.
“We truly appreciate all your support and efforts in making our experience smooth and enjoyable. We’re grateful for the opportunity to meet you and your top-notch Front Desk team.” — Tyler Plett, General Manager, Team Canada