Opportunity knocks, and we must answer

Imagine being a young athlete who loves volleyball but attends a school without a net or even a ball.

For many students in Winnipeg, access to basic sporting equipment is something they rarely think about.

However, during my visit to Red Sucker Lake First Nation in northern Manitoba, I witnessed a very different reality. The local school did not have volleyball nets or balls. As someone who has had the opportunity to compete in volleyball across Canada and internationally, this experience made me realize how easily we take these opportunities for granted.

How can we expect young Indigenous athletes to discover their potential when they don’t even have the basic equipment needed to play? Talent and determination can exist in every community but without access to opportunities, that potential may never be realized.

On Oct. 10, Manitoba received exciting news. The 2028 North American Indigenous Games were conditionally awarded to Norway House Cree Nation and the Southern Chiefs’ Organization. This event is expected to bring thousands of Indigenous athletes together to compete, celebrate their cultures and represent their communities. However, this announcement raises an important question. How many talented Indigenous athletes living in remote communities will never have the opportunity to compete at this level because of barriers beyond their control?

Sport has the power to bring people together, build confidence and create opportunities that can change lives. Unfortunately, not every young person in Canada has the same access to these opportunities. Many Indigenous communities in northern Manitoba are geographically isolated, making travel expensive and difficult.

I experienced this when I visited Red Sucker Lake. The community is accessible primarily by air, with a seasonal winter road providing another connection when conditions allow. Travelling in and out of the community is not as simple as getting into a vehicle and driving to Winnipeg. For young athletes living in communities such as this, participating in tournaments, attending training camps, competing against other teams or even learning the sport can be extremely challenging.

I have seen how talented Indigenous athletes can be. There are athletes and teams in Indigenous communities who can compete with some of the strongest teams across the country. What they often lack is not talent or determination, but access to consistent coaching, facilities, equipment and opportunities to compete.

As an Indigenous athlete, I recognize how fortunate I have been. I have had the opportunity to travel, including representing my country and Indigenous athletes in New Zealand. These experiences have allowed me to meet new people, experience different cultures and grow as both an athlete and a person.

I also recognize that many Indigenous athletes do not have those same opportunities. I was fortunate to grow up with family support and access to organized sports. Where I was born and the resources available to me played a major role in what I have been able to accomplish.

Other Indigenous athletes may have just as much talent and determination but face barriers simply because of where they live or their family’s financial circumstances. Indeed, finances are a major challenge. Indigenous communities have many important needs, including housing, schools, health care and infrastructure.

These needs deserve attention and investment. However, sport and recreation should not be treated as something that only matters after every other issue has been addressed.

In September, the Free Press reported on the development of a new Indigenous Sports Fund aimed at addressing barriers, such as transportation, equipment and training costs. This is an encouraging step because it recognizes that talent alone is not enough when athletes do not have access to the resources needed to succeed.

If Manitoba is preparing to host the 2028 North American Indigenous Games, we should be thinking beyond the two weeks of competition. Governments, sporting organizations and communities need to work together to make organized sport more accessible. This could include dedicated funding for Indigenous youth sports, transportation support for northern teams, coaching development, improved recreational facilities and equipment and partnerships between urban and remote communities.

These communities must also have a meaningful voice in deciding what programs and opportunities will best support their young people. The goal should not be to tell communities what they need, but to provide the resources and partnerships that allow them to develop programs reflecting their own priorities.

Hosting the North American Indigenous Games is something Manitoba should be proud of, but the real success of these Games should not be measured only by the number of medals awarded or athletes who attend. It should also be measured by the opportunities created for Indigenous youth long after the Games are over.

I have experienced how sport can open doors that I never imagined possible. Every Indigenous child deserves the support and opportunity to open those same doors. Talent exists in every community. Opportunity should, too.

Adrian Deer is an Indigenous student-athlete studying peace and conflict studies at Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg.