The Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I·SPARC) is pleased to announce that the nomination period is now open to nominate athletes for the 2024 Premier’s Awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sport.

OVERVIEW

The Premier’s Awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sport recognizes athletes who have achieved excellence in performance sport and are regarded for their leadership qualities both on and off the field of play. The awards were founded in 2015 and boast an impressive list of former winners. Several past recipients have gone on to Canadian national programs, received university scholarships, competed at the Olympics, and even gone on to play professionally.

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for the awards, an athlete must meet the following criteria:

  • Has been a permanent resident of B.C. for the last 12 months
  • Is of Indigenous ancestry (First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit)
  • Is 24 years of age or younger (born in 2000 or later)
  • Is actively participating in a recognized provincial sport and/or a regional/traditional sport and shows evidence of high athletic ability and performance results
  • Is enrolled in school and is actively pursuing or planning to pursue a post-secondary education

Past Regional recipients remain eligible until they are 25 years of age. Past Provincial recipients are not eligible to receive the award in subsequent years.

DESCRIPTION

The Province of British Columbia and the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I·SPARC) have collaborated to establish the Premier’s Awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sport to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Indigenous youth athletes throughout the province.

ONLINE NOMINATION PROCESS

Please visit ISPARC Grants & Awards, which is the new streamlined process for entering nominations. To get started, follow the following steps:

  1. Register an account
  2. Start your application (save it in-progress)
  3. Submit your application to be reviewed

Nominate an athlete today!

 

Selection Criteria
The selection committee will assess nominees using the following five criteria:

  1. Sport Achievements – Pursuing and achieving sport performances leading towards podium placements at regional, provincial, national and/or international competitions
  2. Leadership Qualities – Demonstrating the qualities of leadership, coachability, strong work ethic, and the characteristics of fair play both on and off the field of play
  3. Education – Demonstrating a commitment to academic studies and continued education
  4. Cultural Awareness – Demonstrating pride in their Indigenous ancestry and being actively engaged in cultural activities
  5. Future Goals – Demonstrating how their experience in sport is shaping their future

Only those competitive results/accomplishments achieved between October 1, 2023 and October 1, 2024 will be assessed. Nomination forms must be completed in full.

Applicants must not contact members of the selection committee regarding the status of their nomination. All requests for information should be directed to the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I·SPARC).

NOMINATION DEADLINE

Nominations will be accepted from September 16 to October 31, 2024. Due to the selection process, late applications cannot be accepted.

PROCESS

Through the regional selections, up to six awards within each of I·SPARC’s regions: Northeast, Northwest, Interior, Fraser, Vancouver Coastal, and Vancouver Island.  From that group, 10 provincial recipients will be selected and honoured.

For any questions or issues with the online application, please email premiersawards@isparc.ca