Ten individuals receive B.C. provincial awards for their athletic efforts

Meadow Arcand-Squakin is certainly doing her bit to help promote lacrosse for female players.

The 21-year-old, who is a member of Upper Similkameen Indian Band in British Columbia, recently finished off her final season of junior eligibility in the Penticton Minor Lacrosse Association.

While growing up Arcand-Squakin had played on co-ed teams. And then four years ago she was one of the founders of the girls’ program for the Penticton association.

Besides playing she also served as one of the coaches for her junior squad this season. And she also helped coach various other younger teams in the association.

Her efforts were rewarded as she was announced as one of the 10 recipients of the Premier’s Awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sport for 2023.

The list of winners was announced on Sept. 5 by the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (I-SPARC), the governing body for Indigenous athletics and recreation in B.C.

“I was really surprised but I think it’s awesome,” Arcand-Squakin said of her provincial accolade.

Meanwhile, Connor Lewis, a member of the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) men’s soccer team, was another recipient of the Premier’s Awards this year.

Lewis, who is 22, is a member of the Métis Nation British Columbia.

I-SPARC offers programming in six regions of the province. Earlier this year Arcand-Squakin had received a regional Premier’s Award.

That award was for athletes in the Interior parts of the province. Regional winners were also announced in the Fraser, Northeast, Northwest, Vancouver Coastal and Vancouver Island categories.

A total of 36 regional winners were recognized this year. And the 10 provincial winners were chosen from those recipients.

Lewis was a Northeast regional winner.

“It’s important to promote Indigenous athletes and I think it’s important to promote Indigenous youth in a broad lens,” Lewis said. “There are some winners that are in Grade 8 or Grade 9 and there are some people like myself in their fifth year of university.”

Indigenous athletes from B.C. who are under 25 are eligible for the regional and provincial awards. Nominees must have competed in a sport, demonstrated a commitment to their education and culture and also must have promoted healthy and active lifestyles.

“It’s the first time I’ve won either of those awards,” Arcand-Squakin said.

Lewis is also a first-time recipient. He was motivated to apply for the awards after a member of the UNBC women’s soccer team was a regional winner last year.

Arcand-Squakin is proud of the fact she was one of the individuals who helped start up the girls’ program with the Penticton association.

“It’s been encouraging and empowering females,” she said.

And she’s thrilled she was recognized with a provincial distinction.

“I’m really honoured to win this award,” she said. “But I also feel honoured because I feel I’m representing my community. Where I’m from there’s not a lot of Interior representation (in sports).”

Arcand-Squakin is currently in her third year of Indigenous studies at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, located in Kelowna.

Though she has used up her eligibility to play junior women’s lacrosse, she is keen to continue playing the sport in 2025. Even if that means having to travel as many as five hours to Vancouver to find a suitable women’s league to play in.

Arcand-Squakin is also hoping to continue her coaching career in Penticton.

“I will likely be continuing to coach as time goes on for both the junior and senior teams,” she said.

As for Lewis, his goal is to attend law school after he graduates from the UNBC next April. He’s hoping to be accepted into the University of British Columbia or at the University of Victoria.

Since his first year of athletic eligibility at UNBC was wiped out because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lewis will still be eligible to play university sports for one more year.

But he believes he will probably focus on his academics.

“I don’t think I’ll play soccer (if I’m going to law school),” he said.

Others who received Premier’s Awards were:

• Cheyenne Simicak, softball and baseball, Gitxsan Nation
• Lincoln Wall, lacrosse, Métis
• Grant Reid, hockey, Métis 
• Danica Maynard, hockey, Métis
• Nicholas Lafontaine, basketball, Métis
• Tymeko Collinson, volleyball, Haida Nation
• Ben Brant, hockey, Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte
• Alexandra Nelson, hockey and lacrosse, Snuneymuxw First Nation

All recipients were awarded a $500 bursary and a framed, limited-edition print from First Nations artist Carey Newman.