I·SPARC launches nomination process to honour high-achieving Indigenous youth athletes in B.C.
Traditional Territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples / Victoria B.C. (September 13, 2021) – In collaboration with the Province of British Columbia, the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I·SPARC) is launching the nomination process for the 2021 Premier’s Awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sport. The intention of the Premier’s Awards is to honour and uplift Indigenous youth athletes who have achieved excellence in performance sport and are regarded for their leadership qualities both on and off the field of play.
Nominations are open to Indigenous youth athletes (First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit peoples) in B.C. under the age of 25 (born 1997 or earlier) who:
- Compete in performance sport
- Demonstrate strong leadership qualities
- Are committed to pursuing higher education
- Serve as community role models both on and off the field of play
- Are involved in cultural activities or show a desire to learn about their Indigenous ancestry
The Premier’s Awards will take place regionally and provincially. A maximum of 36 athletes will be selected for the Regional Awards, with up to 6 athletes within each of I·SPARC’s regions: Northeast, Northwest, Interior, Fraser, Vancouver Coastal, Vancouver Island. Athletes selected for the Regional Awards will automatically serve as nominees for the Provincial Awards, with up to 10 Provincial Awards being given out.
A Regional Award Ceremony will be held in the fall of 2021 to honour the Regional Award recipients and a Provincial Award Ceremony will be held in the spring of 2022 to honour the Provincial Award recipients. Provincial Award recipients will have their profile go on display at the BC Sports Hall of Fame and will receive a cash bursary.
The deadline to submit nominations is Wednesday, October 13, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. (PST).
The Regional Nomination form can be found at https://isparcbc.wufoo.com/forms/2021-premiers-awards-nomination-form/.
To find out more about the Premier’s Awards, visit www.isparc.ca/premiersawards.