The Soaring Raven Newsletter - October 2019

November 3, 2019

Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council - What's in this issue

Team BC Selection Process - Swimming

  • BC Indigenous Provincial Volleyball Camps (Team BC Identification Camps)
  • BC Indigenous Provincial Soccer Championships
  • BC Indigenous Provincial Canoe Kayak Championships
  • Archery Zone Trials for 2020 BC Winter Games - external opportunity
  • New Members of the I·SPARC TeamThe Team BC NAIG program provides approximately 540 Indigenous athletes, coaches, and mission staff from across BC with an incredible once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience a major international sport competition and to share and celebrate their cultural heritages with other youth from across the continent.  Team BC’s performance at both the Regina 2014 NAIG and the Toronto 2017 NAIG resulted in winning the Overall Team Award!
     
    With the approaching Halifax 2020 NAIG, Team BC has resumed planning and activities for athlete selection processes. The annual series of BC Indigenous Provincial Championships and Athlete Development Camps, held in various communities the province, will once again support the Indigenous Team BC program.
     

    Team BC Selection Process - Swimming

    The Team BC selection process for athletes to represent the province in the sport of swimming at the Halifax 2020 North American Indigenous Games is now open. The NAIG swimming competition consists of both male and female divisions in the following categories:

    • 14U (defined as born 2006 and later*)
    • 16U (defined as born 2004 and later)
    • 19U (defined as born 2001 and later)

    *For reasons of safety and maturity, Team BC is seeking athletes born no later than 2007

    To find out more about the athlete selection process and how to submit an application via the Athlete Expression of Interest form, click here.
     
     
  • To find out more about the athlete selection process and how to submit an application via the Athlete Expression of Interest form, click here.
 

BC Indigenous Provincial Volleyball Camps (Team BC Identification Camps)

I·SPARC, in partnership with Westbank First Nation, G.P. Vanier Secondary, Hazelton Secondary, and Volleyball BC, is pleased to announce the 2019 BC Indigenous Provincial Volleyball Camps.

These one-day camps serve as identification camps for youth athletes (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) - born years 2001 to 2006 - to form Team BC development squads in preparation for the Halifax 2020 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG).

Registration opens on November 1. Athletes must register and submit $30 registration fee prior to deadline of 4:00 pm, December 4, 2019.

For more information and to register (starting November 1) click here.

For more information and to register (starting November 1) click here.
 

BC Indigenous Provincial Soccer Championships

Congratulations to all participants of the 2019 BC Indigenous Provincial Soccer Championships hosted within the traditional territories of the Tsimshian peoples of Kitsumkalum and Kitselas in Terrace, BC for their performance August 23-25!  The event was hosted in partnership with Gitanmaax Band with support from the Province of BC, BC Soccer, Hazelton YPA, Terrace YSA, CFNR, and Pretium.

17 teams comprising 340 athletes and coaches competed for the provincial titles and for the honour to represent BC at the Halifax 2020 North American Indigenous Games and we are pleased to share the results of the Championships. For the first time, we are seeing a different region representing the Gold medal provincial winners in each of the four divisions – the province will have strong representation in Halifax next summer!

Results of the Championships:

 
 

2019 BC Indigenous Provincial Canoe Kayak Championships

A strong field of 65 athletes competed at the 2019 BC Indigenous Provincial Canoe and Kayak Championships, hosted in partnership with Seabird Island First Nation and Canoe/Kayak BC, on Sept. 21 and 22. The event also served as a talent identification event for provincial coaches to identify athletes to nominate for the Team BC NAIG Development Squad that will train and prepare for the Halifax 2020 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) next year.

For more from the 2019 BC Indigenous Provincial Canoe Kayak Championships, including results click here.
External opportunity

BC Winter Games Zone Trials - Archery

Calling all archery athletes! Indigenous athletes who want to take a shot at competing in archery at the Fort St. John 2020 BC Winter Games will have their opportunity as the Zone Trials are set to take place in November and December.

To be eligible, athletes must:

  • be born in 2003, 2004 and 2005
  • be a BC Archery member at the time of the Zone Trials and at the Games
  • wear an arm guard for both the Zone Trials and the Games
  • be responsible for paying the Games registration fee of $175 should they advance from Zone Trials

For more information click here.
 
 

New Members to the I·SPARC Team

We are happy to welcome Kristi and Allie to our team!

Team BC Communications Coordinator

Kristi Patton is joining I·SPARC as the Team BC Communications Coordinator to develop and deliver all aspects of Team BC’s communications plan for the Halifax 2020 North American Indigenous Games and 2020 NAHC.  Kristi will be with us in this capacity through August 2020 and she will based in Penticton, BC.

Kristi is an award-winning journalist/editor, who prior to taking on the communications coordinator role worked at the Penticton Western News (Black Press Media). She has an extensive background in multi-sport events as reporter, working for the Olympic News Service, at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. She also was the promotions director for the host committee at the Penticton 2016 BC Winter Games — bringing her Games experience full circle as she compete in the Games as a youth. In 2019 she served as Team BC Mission Staff in communications at the Canada Winter Games.

When she isn't at work, Kristi enjoys playing hockey and giving back to the sport by sitting on the board of directors for the Grindstone Award Foundation — a charity that raises funds to provide grants to Canadian female hockey players who face financial barriers to get into the game. She also gives back to her hometown by sitting on the board of directors in the communications role for the Penticton Peach Festival.
 

Interim Regional Coordinator - Northeast Region
Allie Auger is joining I·SPARC as Interim Regional Coordinator for the Northeast Region while Veronica Haddon is on medical leave.  Allie will be in this role through April of 2020 and is based out of Prince George.

Allie was raised on Saulteau First Nations in Moberly Lake, British Columbia and currently calls Prince George, British Columbia her new home. She has a strong background in Community and Indigenous Relations with her previous role as Northeast Navigator for New Relationship Trust based out of Fort Saint John, BC. She is looking forward to bringing her strengths, energy and broad skill set into all I·SPARC initiatives and is excited to work together to collaboratively achieve our goals. Allie has a passion for working with Indigenous communities to create opportunities for membership and contribute to assisting others in achieving their personal goals and visions.

Allie is actively involved in event management, sports team management and sports tournament creation, with her focus on establishing hockey tournaments and elite hockey development within the region. Sports have had a significant contribution in her life from a young age, she has played a number of sports including: figure skating, volleyball, gymnastics, soccer, basketball and traditional sports. On the weekends she focuses her free time on planning events, watching hockey, golfing, concert promoting and visiting friends and family.
 
Find Out More
 
This newsletter comes to you from the Performance Sport program at I·SPARC.   
Director, Sport
Lara Mussell
P:  250.940.4906
F:  1.877.711.5594            
lmussell@isparc.ca		 Assistant Chef de Mission
Team BC 2020 NAIG                         
Peshaunquet Shognosh 
P:  250.940.4913
pshognosh@isparc.ca
Team BC Communications
Coordinator
Kristi Patton
P: 250.488.8367
kpatton@isparc.ca