Five Surrey-area athletes are among six named Fraser region recipients of the 2020 Premier’s Awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sport.
The awards, hosted by the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (I·SPARC), recognize Indigenous athletes, under 25 years of age, “who are competing in performance sport, and demonstrating a commitment to their education, culture, and promoting healthy and active lifestyles.”
The six Fraser region award winners are Taya Suttill (age 18, soccer and basketball, Surrey, Métis Nation BC), Kendrick Lounsbury (16, football, Surrey, Namgis First Nation), Olivia Lounsbury (18, basketball, volleyball, soccer, track and field, swimming and badminton, Chilliwack, Tahltan Nation), Colton Cameron (18, hockey, swimming and wrestling, Surrey, Métis Nation BC), Hillary Birkett (13, figure skating and track and field, Surrey, Métis Nation BC) and Jayden Martin (15, football and track and field, Surrey, Siksika Nation).
Held online, a ceremony is posted as a 13-minute video on I·SPARC’s YouTube channel, with short speeches from award winners.
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By region, I·SPARC is announcing the 30 regional recipients of the Premier’s Awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sport. The regional winners serve as nominees for the provincial awards, to be announced later this year.
The nomination process was launched in late 2020 in each of I·SPARC’s six regions (Fraser, Interior, Northeast, Northwest, Vancouver Coastal, and Vancouver Island).
I·SPARC is a provincial organization established with the purpose of improving the health outcomes of Indigenous people by supporting and encouraging physically active individuals, families, and communities. For more details, visit isparc.ca.
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