Huskie Athletics celebrates Indigenous Achievement Week

Huskie Athletics is incredibly proud of all the accomplishments both on and off the field of play for our student-athletes. A group of Indigenous student-athletes have come together this season to work together to foster community engagement, and create spaces for Indigenous youth to see themselves at USask. Each student-athlete represents their own views towards reconciliation, decolonization, community engagement, working with youth, advocacy, and collectively, the group has a common goal to create and foster better spaces for Indigenous youth and athletes to be successful within a system in which they are underrepresented.
 
In its inaugural year, this group has advocated for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), created opportunities to bring Indigenous youth to campus to spend a day in the life of a student-athlete, provided mentorship and leadership to rural Indigenous youth, and brought Indigenous worldviews into the work of Huskie Athletics. Collectively, this group dedicates hundreds of hours in the community as coaches, mentors, and leaders.

Here is just some of the highlights of their work and success as individuals over the past season:
 
Averie Allard (Women's Volleyball) – Averie is a SUNTEP student who has been a member of the Huskie Women's Volleyball team for the past six years. As an athlete and team captain, Averie wrote MMIW on her leg as she advocates for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. During the summer of 2022, she was named to the Volleyball Canada's Next Gen national program, to train as a future women's national team athlete. She recently signed a professional contract in Italy with the Vero Volley franchise. As she continues to grow and be a leader in her sport, she uses her platform as an athlete to educate.
 
Roddy Ross (Men's Hockey) – This past winter, Roddy suited up for Team Canada as a goaltender for the FISU World Winter University Games, earning a gold medal in men's hockey. His custom helmet artwork represents an Indigenous headdress, traditionally worn by Indigenous leaders who have been given them as gifts by their tribes and communities.
 
Kendra Farmer (Women's Track & Field) – In the 2022-23, season Kendra has won four gold medals at the Canada West Championship and continues competition at U SPORTS Nationals in Saskatoon this weekend. She is a coach and coordinator of Running Wild Athletics Club, has supported the last two Tony Cote Summer Games, is an athletics coach for the North American Indigenous Games, and provides a connection between Indigenous culture and her Huskie teammates and coaches
 
Raymond Fox (Men's Soccer) – Raymond is the founder of the Indigenous Sports Performance Institute, a non-profit and group collective created to bridge the gap between Indigenous youth and high-performance sport. He has also recently signed a contract with the Nautsa'mawt FC in British Columbia.
 
Emmett Graham (Men's Volleyball) – Emmett is a valuable member of the men's volleyball team and will be competing for a Canada West bronze medal this upcoming weekend and a berth to the U SPORTS National Championship.
 
Rosetta Cyr (Women's Volleyball) – Rosetta believes passionately in giving back to youth through her love of sport. She will be a member of the 2023 North American Indigenous Games as a volleyball coach and recently became a SaskSport "Sport, It's More Than A Game" ambassador,
 
Cole Sanderson (Men's Wrestling) – An incredibly dedicated athlete, Cole has been making an impact in the wrestling community, earning a gold medal at the Canada West Wrestling Championship, and a sliver medal at the U SPORTS Wrestling Championship this season.
 
Jaira Cross Child (Women's Cross Country and Track & Field) – Jaira Cross Child has been involved in the Prairie Run Crew Outreach Program (formally Child of The Cross Running Clinic) since 2018. The program aims to serve Indigenous communities by sharing a message of hope while sharing a passion for living a healthy and active lifestyle. Jaira's involvement has included visiting schools, sorting and donating running shoes, promotion of the event and coaching at running clinics. Jaira loves to share her passion for active living. 

Huskie Athletics is proud to have an amazing community of Indigenous student-athletes and their achievements, both in sport and in their communities.

Indigenous Achievement Week is celebrated at the University of Saskatchewan, March 6-10. Click here for information on the week.