WHITECAP — Deborah McLean is hoping the weather co-operates and no major hitches happen when the week-long 2022 Tony Cote First Nations Summer Games kick off in July. The games are set from July 24 to 30 with the events to be held in Saskatoon.
Organizers made the formal announcement of the return of the games, first held in 1974, that were the brainchild of Cote First Nation Chief Tony Cote and his council, Wednesday morning at the Dakota Dunes Resort & Casino in Whitecap Dakota First Nations territory.
McLean, one of the four councillors of the James Smith Cree Nation, is the chairperson of the organizing committee for this year’s games, returning for the first time after the coronavirus outbreak two years ago.
She said the idea of bringing back the sporting event came up during the pandemic as they waited for the conditions to improve and for the Saskatchewan Health Authority to change the provincial health restrictions.
“It was during the pandemic when the topic came up. I thought that ‘wow, let’s do it.’ We keep on waiting for any announcement from SHA to lift some health restrictions. However, we put in our bid to host the games and we won,” McLean told SASKTODAY.ca
“We submitted our bid as hosts because we knew, we’re optimistic, that the games will eventually happen. So, when we’re really excited after we won the bid as hosts. That’s we began meeting to work and organize the event.”
She added that they began organizing the games in October 2021 with regular meetings taking place until the press conference on Wednesday that was attended by leaders and members of bands under the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations led by JSCN Chief Wally Burns.
Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand, Prince Albert Grand Council Chief Brian Hardlotte, FSIN First Vice Chief David Pratt, WDFN Chief Darcy Bear, Tourism Saskatoon chief executive officer Stephanie Clovechok, and games manager Korey Diehl were also present.
Chief Mark Arcand and his uncle Eugene Arcand, Chief Hardlotte and Diehl formerly participated in the games either as an athlete, a coach or an official.
This will be the first time JSCN will be hosting the games and Chief Burns and the other leaders know the importance of the event to First Nations youth.
“We believe that the importance of these games deserve our best efforts and it’s time to raise the bar, recognizing and celebrating the successes and achievements of Saskatchewan’s First Nations youth,” said Burns.
Eugene Arcand, who held the sports and recreation portfolio when he served as Vice-Chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, and his wife Lorna were also members of the organizing committee.
Eugene McKay (finance), youth co-ordinator Dinah Marion and Claire Letendre (communications, marketing, and media relations) are also part of the 2022 games organizing committee.
Archery, athletics beach volleyball, canoe/kayak, golf, softball, and soccer are the events that will be contested in the games with most of the matches taking place at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. An expected 4,000 athletes will be competing and will be housed at WDFN grounds.
From July 18 to 24, a Lance Run will take place from JSCN and Flying Dust First Nation to the WDFN grounds for the opening ceremony and the sacred fire at the ceremonial tipi at the athletes’ camp.
