Squamish and Musqueam Nation youth athletes win provincial sport awards
A group of young athletes will soon have their name and photo shine in the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame.
Three athletes from the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and one from xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nation are among the 10 recipients of the 2024 Premier's Award for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sport announced Tuesday.
The Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (I-SPARC) announced the awards, which has been running since 2015. Athletes 25 and under are recognized for their outstanding achievements in sport but also demonstrating a commitment to education, culture and promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Box lacrosse player Logan Mellish from Squamish Nation, softball and volleyball athlete Sophie Campo and hockey star Wyatt Blace from Squamish Nation and synchronized figure skater Summer Cannell from Musqueam Nation are on this year's list.
'Thank you so much for selecting me as one of the top 10 recipients for the primary provincial awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sports,'
Mellish said in a video recognizing this year's winners
. 'I want to thank my coaches for their belief in me and sharing their dedication and knowledge to help me become a better athlete.'
Mellish led the Coquitlam Junior Adanacs to a first-place finish last season, taking home the
Minto Cup in 2024
. He is also a role model in his community, the video said, volunteering with a non-profit helping children with disabilities learn lacrosse while also taking Indigenous youth out fishing and teaching harvesting traditions.
Campo's team achieved gold at the BC Softball Championship and placed fifth at the Western Canadian Softball Championship. On top of her pitching and batting talents, she also led her school's volleyball team to gold at the South Vancouver Island Championship.
'This award is such an honour, and I would like to thank my loved ones, coaches, teammates and everyone who has supported me and helping me reach my goals,' Campo said.
The award is also a high tribute for Blace, who has achieved a lot in his hockey career already. Blace plays on the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, has made BCHL's top prospects game and will soon shoot pucks for ivy league Dartmouth College in the U.S.
Figure skater Cannell also holds an impressive record on the ice. The Musqueam Nation member is the captain of the BC Junior Synchronized Skating Team, leading the squad to a win at the West Coast Challenge and top prize at the Mountain Regionals.
She also landed seventh place in the Canadian National Skating Championships where she competed against some of the best skaters across the country.
'As a proud Musqueam figure skater, it's an honour to share my journey and celebrate this special moment with all of you,' Cannell said, adding thanks to her family, coaches, teammates and her community for their encouragement and guidance.
'I'm excited for what the future brings, not only for myself, but for the growing presence of Indigenous athletes in all world competition,' she said. 'Thank you I-SPARC for this honour, it's a milestone in my athletic career.'
In March,
I-SPARC announced the 32 regional finalists for the awards
. The awards have created a legacy for outstanding athletes, a press release from I-SPARC said, with many past recipients earning university scholarships, playing on professional sports leagues, and competing with Canadian national teams and at the Olympics.
All 10 provincial recipients will receive a $500 bursary and a framed limited-edition print of the award from First Nations artist Carey Newman, plus their photo and biography will be on display inside the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame in downtown Vancouver.
'Congratulations to the 10 exceptional athletes and leaders who are taking home a Premier's Award for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sport,' said B.C. Premier David Eby in a press release. 'Your commitment to your sport, your studies and your culture is truly inspiring. I wish each of you every success as you continue to pursue your goals on and off the field of play while proudly representing your community.'
To see the full list and video ceremony honouring the recipients, check out
I-SPARC's website
.
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the
Local Journalism Initiative
.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
B.C., Vancouver, First Nations sign deal to partner in planning, hosting World Cup
VANCOUVER - British Columbia's government, the City of Vancouver and three First Nations have signed an agreement to co-operate on hosting the seven World Cup games being played in the city next year. In a ceremony on Friday, Premier David Eby, Mayor Ken Sim, Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow, Squamish Nation councillor Wilson Williams and Tsleil-Waututh councillor Deanna George signed a memorandum of understanding to ensure 'interests of the nations are reflected throughout' the planning and hosting of the games. Sparrow said the location of the ceremony — a facility on Musqueam land used during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games — is symbolic of how local communities can benefit from events such as the World Cup. The B.C. government said the agreement is a framework on how the five parties will work together in planning, staging and hosting the World Cup games, as well as developing approaches to shared opportunities. Organizers are expecting the seven World Cup games in Vancouver to draw about 350,000 spectators to BC Place Stadium and to add more than a million out-of-province visitors between 2026 and 2031. They say that will generate direct and indirect provincial tax revenues of up to $224 million. The B.C. government issued a release this week saying the net core provincial cost of hosting the games is in the range of $85 million to $145 million. Organizers announced last year that the estimated cost of hosting the seven games more than doubled to between $483 million and $581 million, which includes costs for the city, the province and stadium upgrades. Eby said the agreement gives the province a unique opportunity to not only demonstrate the co-operation between governments and First Nations, but to also showcase Indigenous culture to the world. 'In this time of global turmoil and strife, it is a chance to demonstrate how we do things in British Columbia, how we work together to create something amazing,' Eby said. 'It is a huge opportunity for us culturally, economically, and yet another chance to demonstrate the British Columbia way of doing business.' Sparrow said the Musqueam community had relied on 'a small piece of grass' for its soccer needs before the 2010 Olympics, but the Games brought about the construction of the current facility, featuring a turf field, a grass field and a clubhouse. 'Where we stand today was how we came together in the 2010 Olympics and put our differences aside and came together as family and worked together,' Sparrow said at the ceremony site on Friday. 'Now that we have a place for our kids to play. And that shows how when we come together and our sport brings us together, that we have the opportunity now for our kids to have a place.' Williams, the Squamish chief, said the World Cup — with the First Nations acting as host partners — presents B.C. with an even greater opportunity to draw more major international sporting events. 'The experience when people come off those planes, come ashore, come and visit, the retention of the experience they're going to have is going to be so memorable and so strong, there's no way they're going to turn down a request that we're hosting the World Cup in the future — and any world international event for that matter.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2025.
USA Today
20-06-2025
- USA Today
Los Angeles Dodgers ICE protests and boycott threats, explained
The Los Angeles Dodgers are facing a fan revolt in their hometown amid rising tensions due to the Department of Homeland Security's immigration raids and the team's recent actions — and inactions. After previous repeated refusals to comment on the situation in Los Angeles — despite the fact LAFC and Angel City FC soccer clubs have both backed the city's immigrant community — some fans have called for boycotting the Dodgers and plan on protesting the franchise beginning Saturday, June 21. Those calls grew louder following a recent attempt by federal agents to access the stadium. Considering the Dodgers say more than 40 percent of the fan base is Latino, the fallout from a boycott could be felt immediately. Here's how we got here. Federal agents attempt to access Dodger Stadium On Thursday, shortly after the Dodgers finally indicated they would announce plans to assist LA's immigrant community, fans woke up to rumors of federal agents using the parking lots at Dodger Stadium as a staging area. The team released a statement later in the day saying it had refused access to ICE agents and Thursday's game would go on as scheduled. ICE denied a presence at Dodger Stadium, claiming it wasn't there Thursday. Photos and videos show border control agents attempting to access stadium parking lots. As protesters quickly swarmed the area, calls for the Dodgers to speak up or face a protest continued to grow. Who is calling for a Dodgers boycott? The call for action is coming from multiple groups and supporters and is starting to gain steam around the area. Here's more from the Los Angeles Public Press: Buried Under The Blue, an organization that advocates for the Indigenous communities displaced to build Dodger Stadium, have also spoken out and are asking fans to boycott the team. The group, which routinely refers to the Dodgers as the Displacers and advocates for the memory of the original neighborhoods of Palo Verde, La Loma and Bishop (modern-day Chavez Ravine), are now referring to the team as the Deporters and are directing fans to partake in the ActionCali action. Lawyer Michael Alder of Alder Law took to Instagram to call for a boycott of the team, urging fans not to buy tickets, attend or watch games or buy merchandise. 'I know it might seem small,' Alder said, 'but if we stand together we will undoubtedly make a real impact. Fans have also been urged by groups like ActionCali to reach out to the Dodgers to voice their concerns. Is this all because of the ICE raids in Los Angeles? Yes and no. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids across the city have escalated concerns from fans, but the disconnect with the franchise actually began months ago. The Dodgers were noticeably silent back in March when the Department of Defense wiped a webpage dedicated to Jackie Robinson's military service and bravery in breaking MLB's color barrier — then the team celebrated Jackie Robinson Day a few weeks later as if nothing happened. In between those events, the Dodgers chose to visit the White House to celebrate their 2024 World Series title, despite manager Dave Roberts previously saying he would decline such an invite because of President Donald Trump. Most recently, the team asked Nezza not to sing the national anthem in Spanish during the 'No Kings' day protests. She did not comply. Meanwhile, the team allegedly removed a fan holding an anti-ICE sign from a recent game and made another fan remove a sarape scarf before he was allowed to enter Dodger Stadium. The actions here speak much louder than words, though the Dodgers haven't had too many things to say lately. Wait. The Los Angeles Dodgers didn't comment on ICE raids? Well, until Wednesday night — when talks of a boycott began growing louder — the official team position seemingly was to remain silent about what was happening to the city's immigrant community. Per the Los Angeles Times Dylan Hernandez: Don't expect this to change. 'We're not going to comment,' Dodgers executive vice president and chief marketing officer Lon Rosen said. Considering what's happened in the last week, do the Dodgers regret visiting President Trump at the White House earlier this season? 'We're not going to comment on anything,' Rosen said. When the Dodgers announced they accepted Trump's White House invitation, team president Stan Kasten claimed the decision had 'nothing to do with politics.' Kasten sounded as if he was counting on the fans to give the team a pass for visiting an aspiring tyrant, either because their love of the Dodgers overwhelmed their disgust for Trump or because they lacked the intellectual faculties to connect Trump's racist rhetoric to real-life consequences. That sentiment was clearly not shared in the clubhouse. What about the Dodgers players? Kiké Hernández has been one of the lone outspoken voices standing up for immigrants, posting a tribute to his adopted city on Instagram and asking for people to be treated with dignity and respect. "I may not be Born & Raised, but this city adopted me as one of their own," Hernandez wrote. "I am saddened and infuriated by what's happening in our country and our city. Los Angeles and Dodger fans have welcomed me, supported me and shown me nothing but kindness and love. This is my second home. And I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights." Pitcher Brusdar Graterol previously took a stand on Instagram the same day his teammates visited the White House without him. More players will certainly be forced to answer about the situation after Thursday. Dodgers delay immigrant assistance announcement If anyone thought the presence of federal agents at Dodger Stadium would encourage the team to finally speak out, they were mistaken. In fact, the team delayed their announcement indefinitely following the incident Thursday morning. "Because of the events earlier today, we continue to work with groups that were involved with our programs," team president Stan Kasten said in a Thursday statement. "But we are going to have to delay today's announcement while we firm up some more details. We'll get back to you soon with the timing." Which brings us back to the calls to protest and boycott the Dodgers. The franchise has a long, tenuous relationship with the neighborhood of Chavez Ravine, which is home to Dodger Stadium. When the Brooklyn Dodgers bolted for the West Coast, the area was predominately inhabited by Mexican-American communities, who had to flee their homes, or be forcibly removed, after the city seized the land via eminent domain in the 1950s. The team's relationship with the Latino community only began to repair when Mexican star pitcher Fernando Valenzuela became a must-see sensation for the Dodgers in the 1980s. This is not ancient history by any means. The Dodgers are only a few generations removed from displacing the local immigrant community, which explains why the silence from a franchise that worked for years to restore trust in the neighborhood it took over is suddenly fracturing.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Yahoo
Nunavut bodybuilder winning medals and hoping to lift Inuit in the process
Diane Marin has always been determined. From a young age, the Inuk competed in sports in high school and university before finding bodybuilding in her late twenties. "I've always had such a passion for health and fitness, especially weightlifting," Marin said. Marin, 31, was raised in Rankin Inlet and Yellowknife before moving to Alberta for school. She has a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and now is studying massage therapy. She said she found bodybuilding a couple of years ago "and fell in love with it." Preparing for a bodybuilding competition takes anywhere from 16 to 20 weeks, Marin said. That means weighing and measuring all of her food, making sure she's doing a certain amount of cardio everyday, along with specific workouts. It also means no cheat meals — Marin says she went 16 weeks without one during this last competition. "It's almost like a job," she said. She competed in Red Deer, Alta. at the end of May, coming in third in the bikini category of the competition. "I really tested myself and improved a lot," she said. Even in her off season the rest of the year, Marin doesn't slow down. She's still training and eating well before she throws herself into another multi-month preparation phase. "I love it. It takes a lot of discipline and determination," she said. "I love challenging myself, I love pushing myself." "I find it very satisfying when I'm capable of hitting every check mark in a book of what I need to do every day, day after day for 16 weeks." Marin's mom and her best friend also flew in to watch her compete. Both sat in the front row. Marin's mother, Rachel Aliyak, wipes away tears as she talks about her daughter. "I'm very proud of her. She's really good. I wish you could all see her," Aliyak said. She said her daughter has always been focused. "Diane was very determined. She was very helpful," Aliyak said. She said she watched in awe over the last few months as her daughter followed a strict diet and training regimen. "It was hard to say 'oh, I'm going for a large plate of fries or a pizza,'" Aliyak said. This was also her first time watching the competition in-person. "There's a lot of muscle. A lot of muscular people in one room," she said. "You can't be shy to do this kind of event … but it also shows how much work these athletes put into it." Marin said she hopes other young Inuit get excited about working out and living a healthy lifestyle. "Just try your best, have fun doing it. Work out, get moving and enjoy what you do," Marin said. "Only good things come from health and fitness. You feel better, you have better days." Marin said she's seen few Indigenous athletes compete in bodybuilding, let alone Inuit. "I don't know any Inuit other than me who's a bodybuilder," she said. "With these Inuit genetics, you can build muscle really quick. We're pretty strong." And for her post-competition meal? "A charcuterie board of a variety of cookies," she said.
