Holiday Office Schedule
I·SPARC Offices will be closed from December 23rd to January 2nd. Please see our event calendar for any programs taking place over this time. Thank you from all of our team for your support in 2024. See you in 2025!
Host Bid Process Now Open – 2026 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships
The Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC) is excited to announce that the bid process for hosting the 2026 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC) is now open! The ASC established the Championships in 2002 to serve as the premier competition for young Indigenous hockey players in Canada. The ASC owns the event and annual co-hosts with a Host Community. An exciting blend of sport and culture, the NAHC provides a forum for elite U15/U18 aged Indigenous youth to not only compete for [...]
Greater Victoria Sports Awards Athlete Nominations – ‘Ok’wilagame’ Indigenous Athletes of the Year
The Greater Victoria Sports Awards (GVSA) are looking for nominations for the Alex Nelson ‘Ok’wilagame’ Indigenous Female & Male Athlete of the Year. This award is for athletes from Greater Victoria or with a connection to this region. In 2023, the award was given out to Shalaya Valenzuela (Rugby) and Blake Swan (Lacrosse). The ‘Ok’ilagame’ Indigenous Athlete of the Year Submission is based on the athlete’s accomplishments from January 2024 to February 2025. Nominations can recognize singular or multiple sports [...]
Joint Announcement from I·SPARC and Pacific Sport Okanagan
We are proud to announce that Michelle Webster has been appointed as the new Executive Director of PacificSport Okanagan. Michelle has been a key leader at I∙SPARC serving as the Manager of Sport Development & Community Engagement, dedicating her career to advancing sport opportunities and fostering community engagement. A proud member of the Namgis First Nation and raised in the Okanagan, Michelle’s passion for sport is deeply rooted in her experiences as an athlete, coach, and sport administrator. As a graduate [...]
Excitement Builds for Pathways Gatherings with the Unveiling of Inspiring New Logo
NEWS RELEASE Traditional Territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples / Victoria B.C. (November 26, 2024) – The Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I·SPARC), in partnership with the BC Regional Sport Alliance, is pleased to announce the launch of Pathways: Indigenous Sport Leadership Gatherings. These collaborative events are designed to empower Indigenous community leaders and advocates in the fields of sport, recreation, youth, health, and education. The two events will take place over November 27th in Victoria and December [...]
Volleyball Development Camp Announced for December
I∙SPARC is pleased to announce its upcoming BC Indigenous Provincial Athlete Development Camps for volleyball. This camp in partnership with Volleyball BC and Upper Skeena Recreation Centre. The one-day event is being held on Sunday, December 8 at the Upper Skeena Recreation Centre in Hazelton, BC. Indigenous youth (First Nations, Métis, Inuit), ages 10-18 are invited to participate. I∙SPARC requests that interested athletes register before 4PM on Tuesday, December 3 2024. These camps are an important component [...]
Registration Now Open – Pathways, Indigenous Sport Leadership Gatherings
I·SPARC, in partnership with the BC Regional Sport Alliance, is pleased to present these in-person gatherings that will bring together Indigenous community champions, coaches, leaders, recreation managers, youth workers, and other advocates in the fields of sport, recreation, physical activity, health, and education to LEARN, SHARE, EXPLORE and ENGAGE. Workshops will be delivered by both I·SPARC and our BC Regional Sport Alliance partners and will include valuable education and training and/or certification opportunities. We invite you to attend and participate [...]
Employment Opportunities- Regional Sport and Physical Activity Coordinators
The Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I·SPARC) has two career opportunities for Regional Sport and Physical Activity Coordinators, in the Interior and Fraser Regions. I·SPARC is a provincial organization established for the purpose of improving the health outcomes of Indigenous people by supporting and encouraging physically active individuals, families, and communities. The programs and services delivered by I·SPARC are designed to build capacity and increase access to sport, recreation, and physical activity in First Nations, Aboriginal Friendship Centres, [...]
Call for Indigenous Artists for Canada Games Licensed Merchandise Program
Canada Games Indigenous Artists Licensed Merchandise Program Call for Expressions of Interest from Indigenous Artists EXTERNAL POST The Canada Games represent a coming together, and uniting of a nation through the power of sport. Young athletes and their supporters come from all thirteen provinces and territories, representing the vast diversity of the land and the people of our country. As part of our commitment to honouring and celebrating the cultures and traditions of Indigenous peoples, we invite First Nations, [...]
October 31 Deadline – 2024 Premier’s Awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sport
The Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I·SPARC) is reminding all interested parties that the deadline to nominate athletes for the 2024 Premier’s Awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence is Thursday, October 31 2024. Please ensure all in-progress submissions are fully submitted in the GoodGrants system. If you need any support with your nomination, please email premiersawards@isparc.ca OVERVIEW The Premier’s Awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sport recognizes athletes who have achieved excellence in performance sport and are regarded for [...]
SAVE THE DATE – Pathways, Indigenous Sport Leadership Gatherings
I·SPARC, in partnership with the BC Regional Sport Alliance, is excited to announce two Indigenous sport leadership gatherings offered this Fall. We invite you to mark your calendars for this opportunity! About the Gatherings: These in-person gatherings will bring together Indigenous community champions, coaches, leaders, recreation managers, youth workers, and other advocates in the fields of sport, recreation, physical activity, health, and education to learn, share, and engage. Workshops will be delivered by both I·SPARC and BC Regional Sport Alliance [...]
BC Contingent Shines at the 2024 National Indigenous Basketball Camp
The 2024 National Indigenous Basketball Camp (NIBC) took place from September 26 to 30 at the Seven Chiefs Sportsplex on Tsuut'ina First Nation, southwest of Calgary. Organized by Canada Basketball in partnership with the Aboriginal Sport Circle, this inaugural event aimed to foster high-performance basketball development among Indigenous youth aged 13 to 15. The camp brought together forty-two athletes—two males and two females from each province and territory—and Indigenous coaches from across Canada for an elite training and leadership [...]