A look inside the athletes’ village at the Tony Cote Summer Games

The village also features entertainment throughout the week, including concerts, open-mic nights and a fireworks show at the exhibition grounds each evening.

For Kawacatoose First Nation camp cook Larissa Thunderchild, who is originally from the Battlefords, seeing children from different nations interact is special.

“Seeing the kids still go out and socialize and make friends and make those connections with others, it’s always a beautiful sight to see. It’s always good to see because you can see later down the road that those connections they make, for the most part, last a lifetime. Especially with social media nowadays, they can all really stay connected.”

Several athletes also said interacting with one another was their favourite part of staying in the village.

“It’s been interesting. It’s nice to get to know people, just so I know there’s, like, other Indigenous people out there,” said Teyvanna Squirrel, a U15 softball player with the Touchwood Agency Tribal Council.

“It’s pretty nice making new friends and talking to new people,” added Squirrel’s softball teammate, Ja’Lisa Wolf.

(Image Credit: Ryan Lambert/battlefordsNOW staff)

Few people have seen more of the athletes’ village than the security team from Mosquito, Grizzly Bear’s Head, Lean Man First Nation, which has welcomed everyone entering the grounds.

“I like it, man. All these communities coming through. You got PAGC here, you got Woodland over there. That’s, like, everyone has a tribal council that they represent. You got all these tribal councils here right now, all across Saskatchewan, coming out to play at these games,” said Daniel Spyglass, who is working security at the athletes’ village all week.

“We got the Elders’ Village. We got good leadership out here. All these tribes coming together. It’s pretty awesome to see that. It’s a good interaction for the youth, too. It keeps everybody busy. It’s good that they have these for our younger generation. We need this stuff.”

Tanya Daniels, a mission staff member with the Prince Albert Grand Council, said one of her favourite parts of the athletes’ village and the Tony Cote Games is seeing the athletes’ eagerness.

“The excitement with just the athletes coming in and arriving, feeling pumped, and the drive. They’re always excited for their uniforms. It’s all about the uniforms, the jackets, the hats. They really want to represent.”

Daniels also shared how she has seen the Games transform a young athlete’s confidence.

“I’ve just seen a young girl from Saskatoon Tribal Council, and she saw her mother in the Games. She had low self-esteem. She had no motivation. But seeing her mother growing up within these Games really transformed her whole little life,” said Daniels.

“Now she’s a little all-star athlete. Now she’s tough. She has that confidence within herself. She has that drive, and then watching that skill level, you could just see it. I was in awe today watching this little girl’s transformation.”

Connection, confidence and culture are three things athletes at the Tony Cote Games have experienced around the Battlefords and at the athletes’ village.

The Games close Friday with closing ceremonies at Centennial Park.

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ryan.lambert@pattisonmedia.com

by Ryan Lambert

A look inside the athletes’ village at the Tony Cote Summer Games

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