“I think the biggest thing is creating opportunities in sport and recreation for Indigenous athletes, especially those who don’t have access to these facilities and coaches,” said Jordynn Pewapsconias.
There is a rich history of successful Indigenous athletes in Saskatchewan — and a new training camp aimed to continue that excellence.
From Alex Decoteau (recognized as the province’s first Olympian) and hockey trailblazer Fred Sasakamoose (the first Canadian Indigenous person with treaty status to play in the NHL), to current athletes like Brigette Lacquette (the first Indigenous woman on Canada’s Olympic hockey team), some legendary athletes have called Saskatchewan home.
That pipeline is set to be bolstered by a partnership between the University of Regina and the File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council (FHQTC). They have joined forces to create a new coaching and performance camp designed to give athletes from the 11 FHQTC First Nations access to top athletic coaching and development.
The invite-only, three-day camp was held last week at the U of R and featured 10 male and 10 female youth between the ages of 14 and 17. They were invited based on athletic success, and chosen by coaches from their area.
“I think the biggest thing is creating opportunities in sport and recreation for Indigenous athletes, especially those who don’t have access to these facilities and coaches,” said Jordynn Pewapsconias, a kinesiology and health studies student and youth engagement intern at the U of R who is also a member of the Keeseekoose First Nation.
“We want to introduce them to this world and show them that they belong here (and) that they can do this if they put the work in.”
The young athletes learned from several elite Regina-based coaches, including U of R men’s basketball head coach Steve Burrows, Regina Rams head football coach Mark McConkey, U of R women’s soccer head coach Astrid Baecker, and U of R track and field head coach Sabrina Nettey. They were joined by individuals from the U of R athletic therapy department who spoke on injury prevention, graduate students who touched on nutrition, and current Indigenous and non-Indigenous student-athletes who shared their personal experiences.
“One of the goals is to give them these tools so they can share (with) their peers and fellow athletes back in their home communities,” Pewapsconias said.
The camp was a mixture of classroom content, motivational speakers, and high-performance training. It was designed to involve all aspects needed for athletes trying to reach elite levels, including activities like public speaking and media training, which is a requirement for most professional athletes.
Whether these young athletes go on to become professionals or stay in their home communities, Pewapsconias said the benefits of dedicating oneself in sport are virtually limitless.
“I grew up playing a lot of sport,” she added. “It gave me a sense of purpose, it gave me an outlet, and I think it kept me in school. It even made me realize what I want to get my post-secondary education in.
“It’s such a healthy outlet for youth. That’s my hope for these athletes, is to realize how important sport is in every aspect.”
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