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Athletes receive second Aboriginal award

Hayden Craig and Lyndzie Caron received the Awards for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport.
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Penticton’s Hayden Craig, left, and Lyndzie Caron, both of the Métis Nation BC were among the 12 recipients of the 2016 Premier’s Awards for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport. They attended the awards ceremony in Kelowna. Submitted photo

For a second time, Hayden Craig and Lyndzie Caron have received the Premier’s Awards for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport.

Craig, 20, of Métis Nation B.C. plays basketball and softball for Olympic College in Bremerton, Wash., said she feels very honoured to have received the award.

“I feel proud to be Métis, and to be able to represent my culture,” said Craig. “I feel very humbled to have been one of the people chosen to be recognized with some of the other very talented athletes. I’m proud of myself, and it feels very rewarding for all the hard work I’ve put in.”

The Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity &Recreation Council (I·SPARC), in collaboration with the government of British Columbia, created the Premier’s Awards for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport to highlight the achievements of aboriginal youth athletes in the province. The second-annual awards honour athletes under 25 years of age who have achieved excellence in performance sport, are regarded for their leadership qualities, are committed to a higher education and are recognized as community role models both on and off the field.

At the end of November of 2016, Craig, along with Caron and Kalezafar Lawrence, received the Premier’s Award for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport in Kamloops.

“These awards give us the opportunity to honour the achievements of 12 extraordinary aboriginal youth athletes,” said I·SPARC executive director Rick Brant. “But their performance on the field of play isn’t the only reason for us to celebrate. The way they have given back to their communities, their commitment to education, and demonstrated leadership are an inspiration to us all.”

Caron, 17, plays soccer and basketball and will join the UVic Vikes women’s basketball team next fall. Caron said it was an amazing honour to be part of the ceremony.

“I am so grateful for this opportunity and it was just a great environment to be in, such a very special moment for me that I’ll never forget,” said Caron. “I feel so proud to be Métis and this award just makes me feel so happy. It is such an amazing opportunity to be here at the GOV (Gathering our Voices) conference and meeting all these wondering people, I just feel very grateful for everything.”

Caron said she will always remember receiving the award and how much joy the celebration brought her. She added she is proud of her culture and is looking forward to keep learning more and engaging further into the Métis culture once she heads of to UVic.

Craig and Caron and the other athletes received their awards at a ceremony in Kelowna this week with Gordon Hogg, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth Sport, handing out the awards at the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort and Conference Centre.

“These awards recognize Aboriginal youth on and off the field – youth who are excelling in education, participating in sport and embracing their culture. Congratulations to all recipients and I look forward to watching you develop in your careers in the upcoming years,” said Premier Christy Clark.

Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, said it is important to recognize the athletes.

“Sport has opened doors for these youth, connecting them to their communities, promoting healthy lifestyles and providing a source of fun,” said Fassbender. “Congratulations to these athletes and I wish them many more successes in the future.”