8 outstanding Aboriginal athletes receive prestigious award

Chase B.C. (November 23rd, 2017) – The 2017 Premier’s Awards for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport were presented to eight outstanding Aboriginal athletes from British Columbia’s Interior Region during a formal celebration held today at the Adams Lake Recreation Center in Chase, B.C. The Interior is the sixth of six regions to honour Aboriginal athletes through this unique province-wide awards program.

I·SPARC Interior Regional Lead Bruce Baptiste said “We are proud to recognize the outstanding achievements of our athletes in the Interior region. The recipients we have honoured tonight have dedicated their time to achieving excellence and we look forward to the continued success of these young role models.”

The Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I·SPARC), in collaboration with the Province of British Columbia, launched the Regional nomination process in August 2017, receiving 141 nominations from across the province for Aboriginal athletes under 25 years of age who are competing in performance sport and committed to living healthy, active lifestyles.

“Congratulations to the recipients of the 2017 Premier’s Awards for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport for the Interior region,” said the Honourable Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture. “These young athletes have distinguished themselves through their skill, dedication and commitment on the field and in their communities. On behalf of the BC government, it is an honour to recognize your accomplishments.”

A total of 48 recipients have been chosen within I·SPARC’s six regions – Northeast, Northwest, Interior, Fraser, Vancouver Coastal and Vancouver Island. Recipients were selected based on their achievements in performance sport, commitment to pursuing a higher education, demonstrable leadership qualities, volunteerism, and connection to culture.

“The recipients recognized today are the mentors, heroes and leaders of the next generation of Aboriginal athletes for the Interior region of our province,” said Ravi Kahlon, Parliamentary Secretary of Sport and Multiculturalism. “It is important to recognize and celebrate these athletes for their commitment to sport, education and culture. Congratulations!”

The recipients of the 2017 Premier’s Awards for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport – Interior Region are:

  • Kaitlyn Lafontaine, 21, Basketball, Métis Nation BC
  • Daniel Everton, 16, Volleyball, Métis Nation BC
  • Kelly Kosolofski, 14, Soccer and Hockey, Haida Nation
  • Jacob Taylor, 16, Track & Field, Okanagan Band
  • Kylie Jack, 21, Golf, Penticton Indian Band
  • Terrance Hubick-Archie, 16, Canoe/Kayak, Canim Lake Band
  • Laine Grace, 18, Hockey, Cariboo-Chilcotin Métis Society
  • William Brewer, 15, Snowboarding & Lacrosse, Okanagan Band

These recipients automatically serve as nominees for the Provincial Awards. A total of 12 Provincial Recipients (six male and six female) will be selected in February 2018.  Provincial recipients will receive an invitation to attend a special Aboriginal Youth Sport Leadership Forum, held at the Gathering our Voices Indigenous Youth Leadership Training in Richmond from March 20-23, 2018.