A team can be the place where a kid gets coached, pushed and told they belong, all in the same practice. Getting Indigenous kids into that place, and keeping them there, has been a goal in Saskatchewan for more than 50 years.
We make training clothes, and we run a youth workshop, so this topic is close to us. This post covers the history of Indigenous youth sport in Saskatchewan, what's out there now, and how parents, coaches and organizations can help. The facts come from the sources at the bottom.
A long history of Indigenous athletes in Saskatchewan
Indigenous athletes from this province were winning long before anyone built programs for them. Sask Sport's history of Indigenous sport in Saskatchewan names a few:
- Paul Acoose of Sakimay First Nation was a distance runner. He was winning races in Winnipeg by 1909 and beat Tom Longboat. (Our Tom Longboat post has more on Longboat himself.)
- Alex Decoteau of Red Pheasant was the first Saskatchewan-born athlete to compete in the Olympics. He finished sixth in the 5,000 metres at the 1912 Stockholm Games.
- Fred Sasakamoose of Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation played for the Chicago Blackhawks. In 1962 he co-founded the Northern Indian Hockey League.
- Bryan Trottier of Val Marie won six Stanley Cups.
As of September 2024, the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame had 11 individual Indigenous inductees.
These athletes mostly made it despite the system, not because of it. That's where the next part comes in.
Games built for First Nations youth
In 1974, Chief Tony Cote and the Cote First Nation Council started the Saskatchewan First Nations Summer Games. The Winter Games followed in 1980 under Chief Norman Stevenson. Both are now called the Tony Cote Games.
The Games' own history page explains why. Chief Cote saw that First Nations youth under 20 were shut out of mainstream sport. There weren't facilities, there were limited education programs on reserves, there was cultural discomfort, and there were money barriers.
The first Summer Games had track and field, soccer and softball. The first Winter Games had hockey, basketball, volleyball, curling and boxing. From the beginning, the Games were built around youth.
For a lot of Saskatchewan families, these Games are the first big competition a kid goes to. Some go on to the North American Indigenous Games, which we covered in a separate guide.
Sport is in the TRC Calls to Action
A lot of people don't know this: the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 Calls to Action include five about sport, numbers 87 to 91.
In short, they call for:
- 87: Public education that tells the national story of Aboriginal athletes in history.
- 88: Long-term athlete development and continued support for the North American Indigenous Games.
- 89: Amending the Physical Activity and Sport Act so its policies include Aboriginal peoples.
- 90: National sport policy that includes stable funding for community sport reflecting Indigenous cultures, an elite athlete program, culturally relevant coach training, and anti-racism training.
- 91: International events like the Olympics respecting Indigenous territorial protocols and involving local communities.
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada tracks progress. It lists 88 as complete, 90 as "well underway" with funding confirmed through 2026-27, and 89 as still in planning. If you run a club, 90 is the one to read closely. Culturally relevant coaching and anti-racism training are things a local club can start on without waiting for Ottawa.
Awards that recognize young Indigenous athletes
The Tom Longboat Awards were set up in 1951. The Aboriginal Sport Circle calls them the longest-standing honour for Indigenous athletes in Canada.
Any athlete of First Nations, Inuit or Métis descent who is active that year and shows sportsmanship can be nominated. The Aboriginal Sport Circle collects the nominations and sends them to each province and territory for regional selection. A national committee then picks two national recipients.
Regional recipients get a trip to the awards gala, a plaque and a medallion. National recipients also get a $1,500 bursary. The 2026 nomination deadline was July 10.
If you coach a young Indigenous athlete who's working hard, nominate them. Being recognized can matter a lot at 16.
What actually helps a kid stay in sport
We're not coaches, so we'll stick to what the research and the people who run these programs say.
Sport for Life, working with the Aboriginal Sport Circle, published the Indigenous Long-Term Participant Development Pathway. It says plainly that mainstream sport development models "do not necessarily align with Indigenous needs or experiences." It's a free guide for anyone planning programs for and with Indigenous communities.
Chief Cote's list of barriers from 1974 still reads like a checklist today:
- Facilities. Is there somewhere close to practise, and can kids get there?
- Cost. Registration, gear, travel and tournament fees add up fast. Every one you can cover or share keeps a kid in.
- Belonging. Does the kid see coaches, teammates or role models who look like them? Is their culture treated as a strength?
A few practical ideas to consider: shared gear bins, carpool rosters, team fees split by what families can afford, and inviting Elders or community members to open a season.
Where XUSI fits
We're an Indigenous-owned brand from Saskatoon, started by two brothers from a small reserve community in northern Saskatchewan. A lot of our designs are made for training, and many carry a Cree word with a story behind it, explained on our Meanings page.
We also run Strong Roots Strong Future, an interactive workshop for Indigenous youth. If you run a school, team or youth program and want to talk about bringing it in, get in touch.
And if your team needs shirts or hoodies for a season or a tournament, our screen printing starts at 10 garments, with design help included. We'll give you a full quote before anything gets printed.
Questions people ask
What are the Tony Cote Games?
They're the Saskatchewan First Nations Summer and Winter Games. The Summer Games started in 1974 and the Winter Games in 1980. They were renamed to honour Chief Tony Cote, who founded them.
Which TRC Calls to Action are about sport?
Calls to Action 87 through 91 cover sport and reconciliation.
Who can be nominated for a Tom Longboat Award?
First Nations, Inuit and Métis athletes who are active in their sport that year and show sportsmanship and fair play. Check the Aboriginal Sport Circle for each year's deadline.
Who was the first Saskatchewan-born Olympian?
Sask Sport says it was Alex Decoteau of Red Pheasant, who ran the 5,000 metres at the 1912 Stockholm Games.
Sources
- Sask Sport: The history of Indigenous sport in Saskatchewan
- Tony Cote Winter Games: History
- Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada: Sports and reconciliation
- Aboriginal Sport Circle: Tom Longboat Awards
- Sport for Life: Indigenous Long-Term Participant Development Pathway
Written by XUSI, an Indigenous-owned clothing and screen printing brand from Saskatoon on Treaty 6 territory. Our story · What the words mean