First Nations kids get to kick-start sports dreams
Cole Currie is 11 years old, with lacrosse dreams running through his head in a non-stop loop.
Someday, the kid from the Mistawasis First Nation wants to play in the National Lacrosse League.
“I think about lacrosse a lot. It’s what I want to do with my life,” Currie said Sunday, a few minutes after running the gruelling beep test at the Physical Activity Complex on the University of Saskatchewan campus.
Currie was one of 70 kids from the Saskatoon Tribal Council taking a peek at elite-level athletics Sunday. The pilot program — called “Youth Leadership Through Sports” — is a partnership with the U of S, geared for boys and girls aged 10 to 14. It provides a range of sports testing and guidance on what it take to become an elite athlete.
“A lot of kids haven’t been excelling to the next level. They’ve been falling off,” says Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand, noting the difficulty in accessing personal trainers, infrastructure and equipment on many First Nations.
“So here’s an opportunity, at 10 years old, to come to a state-of-theart facility within the city of Saskatoon, and be part of this program. They can take it home, to other children, be role models for their peers, and actually make a difference inside their community.”
When Currie heard about the program, he was quick to jump on board. He’s played lacrosse since he was four years old, spurred on by older brother Kallen, who plays with the Saskatchewan Swat.
He’s been to many Saskatchewan Rush games, but there’s a twist.
“So you’re a big fan (of the Rush)?” he’s asked.
“Well, not of the Rush,” he replies. “The Georgia Swarm. I just like the team, because they’ve got the Thompson brothers, and they inspired me to play.”
The Swarm boast three Thompson brothers — Lyle, Mile and Jerome — who come from the Onondaga First Nation and are willing role models for Indigenous youth. Jeremy, the oldest brother, plays for the Rush.
Currie has watched their documentary, he’s met them, and they give him something concrete to aspire to. And that, says Arcand, is why he was happy to see U of S athletes and coaches, including First Nations and Metis, helping out at the PAC Sunday.
“(The Thompson siblings) have got a rich history: Four brothers who are First Nations, and when the kids listen to them, they’re engaged,” Arcand says. “We rely on our First Nations and Metis role models to give back to the children, and you’ll see it here — they could be doing something different on a Sunday, but they’re here, giving back.”
The day began with a prayer song, because they want kids to remember that culture and identity is something to be proud of. They worked with stamina, speed and agility, flexibility, even yoga. The goal is to send kids home with achievable goals and a fresh perspective, and they’ll gather again in a few months. They want to meet four times a year, and see where it takes them.
At some point, they may expand the offering to teens in the 15-andup bracket.
“There’s demand,” says Chad London, dean of the College of Kinesiology. “We know these opportunities don’t exist in other communities, beyond the Saskatoon area. I see this building into something bigger, beyond the geographic area, and beyond this particular age group, over time.”
And that suits Cole Currie just fine.
“I’m going to come here every few months, working out at home because of this, and I think it will improve my skills in lacrosse and basketball,” he says.
“(Lacrosse) is lots of fun to play. It makes me feel happy when I play it.”