May 31, 2023
Canadian Sport Centre Saskatchewan is proud to partner with Sask Sport to recognize June as National Indigenous History Month in Canada. Throughout the month, the rich sport history and athletic achievements of Indigenous Peoples across the province will be celebrated.
Follow along with Sask Sport every Wednesday in June for articles, resources, and information that celebrate Indigenous History Month through the eyes of sport.
CSCS partners to help in the delivery of a number of programs that are designed to encourage Indigenous participation in sport throughout the year.
Aboriginal Apprentice Coach Program
The Aboriginal Apprentice Coach Program is a partnership between the Aboriginal Sport Circle, the Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies, the Provincial/Territorial Coaching Representatives, the Canada Games Council and the Coaching Association of Canada. The program provides the opportunity for each province and territory to send two coaches of Indigenous ancestry to the Canada Games in apprenticeship roles.
Indigenous Sport Enhancement Program
The Indigenous Sport Enhancement Program is committed to raising the performance level of Indigenous athletes in sport and increasing the capacity of Indigenous coaches, officials and volunteers. The program is aimed at developing and preparing athletes for major competitions and multi-sport games, with a focus on the North American Indigenous Games. It is also designed to support year-round, high-intensity individual and sport-specific training programs devoted to skill and fitness development and competition-specific training.
Team Saskatchewan North American Indigenous Games support
In the words of the inaugural event’s chairperson, Charles Wood, the North American Indigenous Games were founded to provide a place where “young Aboriginal people could come together to excel in their athletic field of endeavour and to come together to do other things: to make new friendships, to renew old ones, and so on.” The first Games were held at Edmonton in 1990, with this year’s event — the 10th in NAIG’s history — scheduled for July 15-23 in Nova Scotia. Host communities include Kjipuktuk (Halifax), Dartmouth and Millbrook First Nation. Saskatchewan has hosted NAIG twice, at Prince Albert in 1993 and Regina in 2014, and has won the overall medal count six times through NAIG’s first nine events.
Indigenous Coaches and Officials Program
For the past 16 years the Indigenous Coaches and Officials Program (ICOP) has helped provide training and development opportunities across Saskatchewan for Indigenous Peoples to become more involved in sport as a coach or an official. The program was launched in 2007 and intended to run only until 2009, but became a permanent fixture due to the ongoing demand for training. ICOP participants take part in NCCP Community Sport, Competition and Instruction modules, Aboriginal Coaching Modules, NCCP sport-specific clinics and officials clinics. Today the program remains available free of charge and, as of June 2022, over 7,800 coaches and officials had participated.