High hopes for First Nations sport school

A developing program combining sports, academics and culture aims to help First Nations high school students discover leadership and other skills.

The concept for the Lekwungen Sport School is based on the existing Canadian Sport School in place at the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence, and is being planned in co-operation with the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council.

“There is currently not an Indigenous-focussed sport school that we know of in the country right now,” said Chris McElroy, who is helping to co-ordinate the effort to get the program established.

The idea began to take shape in 2017 leading up to the North American Indigenous Games in Toronto, he said, and funding was provided by Island Savings again this year. The concept continues to move forward with an eye to the 2020 Indigenous Games, for which Victoria is bidding to host.

“When we were looking at the legacy piece around the Indigenous Games we thought that really providing athletes that opportunity to develop skills and become young leaders was a bit of a gap in the current system, and this would be a great way to address that,” said McElroy, a health and recreation worker with the Songhees Nation.

Strong support is also coming from PISE CEO Robert Bettauer, who said that PISE is part of the local bid committee working to get the Indigenous Games to Victoria. He said PISE also has strong ties with the Songhees Nation, so being part of creating a new program for Indigenous athletes was a natural fit.

He said Songhees Chief Ron Sam and Indigenous sports leader Alex Nelson are part of the organizing process for the program. Nelson said the basis for such a program dates back to 1994 and discussions around the legacy component of the Commonwealth Games in Victoria.

“It will embed the cultural priorities,” Bettauer said of the program. “As it unfolds, it will very much be customized to what the needs and the environment are for the Indigenous athletes.”

McElroy said there are basic similarities between the Lekwungen Sport School concept and the sports academies at various local high schools that accommodate students interested in activities such as hockey, soccer, rowing and lacrosse. He said the Canadian Sport School is not sport-specific and the Lekwungen Sport School would not be either.

Like students at the Canadian Sport School, those taking part in the Lekwungen program would spend half their day at whatever school they are attending, and half at PISE, McElroy said.

“They’ll do anything from highperformance training to sports psychology to nutrition to leadership training,” McElroy said.

Young Indigenous athletes have been active at PISE this year with training that would be part of an eventual Lekwungen Sport School, he said.

“We started in January and did 10 sessions, then took a break for a couple of weeks over March break.”

Fifteen-year-old soccer player Shauntelle Dick-Charleson said she enjoys being involved.

“PISE really interests me because it helps me become a good athlete.”

She said her goal is to make the national women’s soccer team.

“I have gained a lot from this program, I have made more friends and have gotten stronger.”

McElroy said the hope is that the Lekwungen program will spread once it gets rolling.

“The idea is to develop a model that can be adaptable and applicable to other communities, not just Victoria.”

He and Nelson both say they are excited at how the program is coming together. McElroy said there is a lot to build on.

“With the strength of the partnerships that exist between the Songhees Nation and local municipalities and community organizations and PISE and the University of Victoria, I think there’s great potential here to develop a program and show good leadership and show what working together can do for the communities involved.”

The 2020 North American Indigenous Games will run July 18-25. The Games were previously held in Victoria in 1997 and in the Cowichan Valley in 2008.