" Promoting Healthy, Active Lifestyles in Mi'kmaw communities 
through the tool of Sports & Recreation..."

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Achievements of the NSMSRC

In the short history of our organization, we have accomplished a number of positive and very worthy achievements.  In the next numbers of paragraphs, we will attempt to get you caught up on the achievements of the Nova Scotia Mi'kmaw Sports & Recreation Circle since 1995.

One of the key points in the history of the NSMSRC was the appointment of two individuals (Mr. Tim Bernard of the Millbrook First Nation & Mr. George "Tex" Marshall of the Eskasoni First Nation) to the Aboriginal Sport Circle of Canada.  These two gentlement were requested to sit as Board of Directors and full voting members of the Aboriginal Sport Circle - the national mandated voice for Aboriginal sports in Canada.

The NSMSRC holds one voting seat at the North American Indigenous Games Council Committee, which is comprised of twenty-six (26) board members. This is broken down using the thirteen (13) regions of Canada and thirteen (13) regions in the United States.

Membership in this NAIG Council assures the right for each province, territory or state to be represented at each North American Indigenous Games. Since then, the Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Sports & Recreation Circle has been mandated as the body to represent Nova Scotia at the NAIG Council table.

Organization of the first ever Sport & Recreation body to specifically represent all thirteen (13) Mi’kmaw communities in Nova Scotia. The formation of our organization meant that not only would communities, coaches and athletes have a bigger, unified voice for the promotion of sport, but that they would now have a mandated body to represent their needs at the regional, provincial, national and international level. This opens the doors for opportunities in training, competition (Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal), athlete and coach development, etc...

Training of Coaches - sixteen (16) Level 1 Mi’kmaw Coaches were certified with a Level 1 Theory under the National Coaching Certification Program (through an Aboriginal perspective added into the program as well) back in February of 1998. Since then, due to the lack of adequate sustained funding, we have not been able to continue these efforts.

Appointment of Mr. George "Tex" Marshall to the Executive Board of the Aboriginal Sport Circle as Treasurer. Mr. Marshall’s appointment is for a two year term and renewing in the year 2000.

Development of the first ever Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Summer Games Technical Sports Manual that cover all of the rules, regulations and Summer Games Host Committee requirements for athletes, coaches and sporting events at the Summer Games.

Development of the first ever Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Summer Games Host Bidding Criteria Package used for communities wishing to host the Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Summer Games in their community or in close proximity of their community. This Bidding Criteria Package outlines everything that Host Committees need and must have in order to adequately host a games of this magnitude. (Approximately 600 - 800 athletes).

Revival of the Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Summer Games-dormant due mainly from the lack of any direct ongoing government funding assistance. The last funded games were back in 1987-Chapel Island First Nation.

Qualifying of two hundred (200) Mi’kmaw athletes from Nova Scotia to participate at the next North American Indigenous Games.

Hosting of the 1998 Aboriginal Sport Circle Annual General Assembly which was held in Halifax during Treaty Celebrations in October of 1998. This was a hugely successful event and plans are to host other upcoming national meetings and/or training events for athletes or coaches.

Qualified four (4) Mi’kmaw basketball athletes (two male, two female) plus one coach for the 1999 National Aboriginal High Performance Basketball Camp held in Victoria, British Columbia from March 15th - 21st, 1999. This qualifying process included a registration through Aboriginal Sport Circle forms, inclusion of a letter of interest by the candidate and three reference letters, one of which had to come from a school representative (counsellor/principal).

In the criteria, athletes had to be in school, participate actively in a basketball program and be alcohol/drug free. For the coach, the process was similar except that the Coaches had to pass a background check for security reasons.

 

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Last modified: June 28, 2004