ABOUT
LIVING SKIES INDIGENOUS BASKETBALL LEAGUE
ABOUT
LIVING SKIES INDIGENOUS BASKETBALL LEAGUE
LIVING SKIES INDIGENOUS BASKETBALL LEAGUE
ABOUT
LIVING SKIES INDIGENOUS BASKETBALL LEAGUE
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:
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Resiliency
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Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
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Nutrition
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Resume Writing and Interview Skills
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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?
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Provides opportunities for urban Indigenous youth throughout the province
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Builds capacity of certified coaches and officials
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Fosters teamwork, collaboration, and social skills
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Builds confidence and self-esteem
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Extracurricular activities have been linked to lower rates of suicide
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High school female athletes are less likely to use drugs
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High school athletes are more likely to graduate than non-athletes
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35% of Indigenous youth do not play sports at least once a week
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:
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North American Indigenous Games Team
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Team Saskatchewan
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Nxt Up Program
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University/College
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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.
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.
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.
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:
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North – Buffalo Narrows F.C., Ile-a-la Crosse, La Loche F.C., North West F.C. (Meadow Lake)
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Central – Battlefords I.M.F.C., Kikinahk F.C. (La Ronge), Prince Albert I.M.F.C, Saskatoon I.M.F.C.
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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.
TEAM LOCATIONS
LEAGUE STAFF
PAIGE
CROZEN
MANAGER
Paige Crozon is originally from Humboldt, Saskatchewan. She attended the University of Utah where she played on the basketball team and earned degrees in Business Management, and Health Education and Promotion. After graduation, she played basketball professionally in Europe. Paige spent 8 years with the Canadian Women’s Basketball Program and played in 3 World Championships, Pan American Games, Commonwealth Games, FISU World Games, and other events. Most recently, Paige has been playing with Team Canada 3x3 in the Women’s Series which just finished 4th at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Paige also completed her Master of Business Administration degree. Basketball has provided many opportunities in Paige’s life and she believes in the power of sport - to unify, to open doors, and to find connection.
AVERY
PEARCE
SOUTH COORDINATOR
Avery Pearce attended Lumsden High School, playing four years of basketball and collecting two provincial championships. She later attended the University of Regina where she played on the Cougar Women’s Basketball Team for five years. During this time, she completed her undergraduate degree in Business Finance as well as her Economics certificate. Since then, she completed her undergraduate degree in Actuarial Science and is working towards her CIA designation. Throughout her time playing with the university, she participated in the 2017 Atlas International Tournament as well as the 2017 3X3 FISU World University League. Avery has been working with Basketball Saskatchewan for the past seven years; spending time coaching various Provincial Teams and developmental camps. She joined the Living Skies Indigenous Basketball League team in 2020 and has loved getting to know the youth and skill present in our Province. Basketball has allowed Avery to travel the world and pursue her post secondary education. Avery firmly believes that basketball opens doors for people and creates a safe space for everyone.
Randi
macdonald
LEAGUE CONSULTANT
Randi MacDonald grew up with a love of basketball that began at the age of 10 when a family from the United States moved to her small town and introduced her to the game, which has been a significant part of her life ever since. She attended Medicine Hat College, where she played basketball at a collegiate level and met her now-husband. After moving to Saskatoon, Randi became involved in the Saskatoon Minor Basketball Association (SMBA), where she worked for 23 years before joining Living Skies. Basketball has brought immense joy to her life, and she is passionate about passing that joy on to others.