ABOUT 

Living Skies Indigenous Basketball League (LSIBL) was created for Saskatchewan youth, from the ages of 11-17. Although the  Indigenous community is our focus, in the spirit of reconciliation, we welcome all athletes and coaches that have a passion for basketball. There will be two age groups, Junior (11-14) and Senior (15-17). The  LSIBL will allow athletes to develop and showcase their skills on the basketball court while offering workshops that address social and cultural topics like: 

• Resiliency 

• Mental Health and Suicide Prevention 

• Nutrition  

• Resume Writing and Interview Skills 

• Guest Speakers

 

The Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan, One Love Basketball Inc., with support from the Government of Canada, and other community stakeholders have developed the Living Skies Indigenous Basketball League. The league provides a holistic approach to sport, working on the physical, mental, spiritual, and cultural aspect of every athlete. LSIBL consists of three components:

PURPOSE 

Why is the Living Skies Indigenous Basketball League important? 

• Provides opportunities for urban Indigenous youth throughout the province 

• Builds capacity of certified coaches and officials 

• Fosters teamwork, collaboration, and social skills 

• Builds confidence and self-esteem 

• Extracurricular activities have been linked to lower rates of suicide 

• High school female athletes are less likely to use drugs  

• High school athletes are more likely to graduate than non-athletes  

• 35% of Indigenous youth do not play sports at least once a week

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A basketball curriculum with practice plans have been created. We want to ensure that all  athletes are obtaining proper and consistent coaching that will help with their development and transition to high performance events like: 

• North American Indigenous Games Team 

• Team Saskatchewan 

• Nxt Up Program 

• University/College  

• Team Canada

 

Most importantly, the curriculum will be grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing to help our youth stay connected to our  culture and learn our Indigenous values.  

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Furthermore, we want to build the capacity of certified coaches and officials in urban Indigenous communities. As a result, we  are seeking to provide certification to 44-88+ coaches and 22+ officials prior to the start of our league in the spring of 2022.  This will ensure that athletes are receiving consistent and appropriate guidance, as well as improving the sustainability in each  community.

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PROJECTED OUTCOMES

● Increased knowledge and skills to help athletes handle life beyond the coach

● Increased interest in physical activity

● Increased feelings of wellbeing

● Increased feelings of connection

● Deeper understanding of identity and culture

● Celebration of Indigenous culture in Saskatchewan

● More opportunities to build relationships and find understanding (reconciliation)

● More certified coaches and officials 

● More athletes participating in high performance sports

 

It is our goal to grow this concept to be implemented by other leagues and other sports. We are creating a systematic process,  tracking results, and connecting with Sport Canada about this expansion. 

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WHERE 

The Living Skies Indigenous Basketball League will be split up into three different regions to help maximize productivity and effectiveness of the program goals. The Divisions include: 

• North – Buffalo Narrows F.C., Ile-a-la Crosse, La Loche F.C., North West F.C. (Meadow Lake)  

• Central – Battlefords I.M.F.C., Kikinahk F.C. (La Ronge), Prince Albert I.M.F.C, Saskatoon I.M.F.C.  

• South – Newo-Yotina F.C. (Regina), Qu’Appelle Valley F.C., Yorkton  

Each community will be given the opportunity to host their own league games that will have teams throughout their region  participating.

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