Athletes from the Sechelt Indian Band (SIB) are searching for gold in Colorado this July.
A total of 21 soccer players, ranging in age from 13 to 18 have been selected to be a part of Team B.C. for the 2006 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG).
The NAIG is a celebration of sport and culture for North American Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island (North America). Recognized by the Aboriginal Peoples and governments of Canada and Tribal Nations from the U.S., the Games will be held July 2 to 9 in Denver and Colorado Springs.
SIB councillor Keith Julius will be making the trip with the youth and helping to coach, while SIB councillor Garry Feschuk is helping with fundraising and training of the athletes.
"Several identification camps and tryouts were held to showcase the athletes' talent," said Feschuk. "What really impressed me with the evaluators was their talent level and how knowledgeable they were."
Feschuk said the tryout camps were held last summer with the final camp held last month. Athletes on Team B.C. will come from the Lower Mainland, the Interior and Fraser Valley.
The SIB athletes will be competing on several soccer teams in four divisions, bantam, midget, juvenile and junior.
"For our players to be the best they have to play the best. That's our motto and what we're striving for," Julius said. "All these athletes have worked very hard and they'll have to continue to work hard to be successful in Denver."
Besides training on the field, the athletes, along with several parents and other volunteers from the Band, have been fundraising for the trip.
A recent car wash netted almost $400. Other car washes are planned. An open house has been planned at the SIB's value-added mill where a beautiful hand-made gazebo will be auctioned off with the proceeds going to the athletes.Local SIB artists are also busy creating pieces of art, which will be used as prizes for an upcoming raffle.
"The whole community is really getting behind this," Julius said. "The parents have also worked very hard. They've been very dedicated to helping their kids."
Organized and managed by the Native American Sports Council, Inc., a non-profit organization and member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), the NAIG offers competition in 16 Olympic sports for youth between the ages of 13 to 19 and all abilities. The first NAIG was in Edmonton in 1990. Since then, there have been a total of five games, four in Canada and one in Blaine, Minn., with the most recent games held in Winnipeg, where more than 8,000 athletes, 2,000 coaches and staff participated. The NAIG will feature selected sports of the Olympic and Pan American Games as well as sports of North American Indigenous origin.
This year's group of SIB athletes has a lot to live up to.
Feschuk took a team in 1993 to Prince Albert where they won gold. Two teams in 1997 in Victoria won gold and silver, and two teams went to Winnipeg in 2002 and won two gold medals.
"The opening ceremonies just send chills up your spine," said Feschuk. "It's an awesome feeling to look up into the stands and see all the First Nations people."
Anyone who would like to help out with the fundraising or offer assistance is asked to call the SIB education department at 604-885-6016 and speak to Mary Joseph who is co-ordinating the fundraising, or contact Julius or Feschuk at the Band office at 604-885-2273.
