The First Nations Snowboard Team is now Skwelk̓wélt Indigenous Snowsports Team. Deanna Jones is a board member of the team, and she explained the name change is an inclusive step in the team’s trajectory.
“Metis wasn’t included in the First Nations piece, so we decided to change it,” Jones explained. “We’ve taken away the snowboard team to include snowsports in case we want to grow and include a skiing program at some point down the road. We just wanted to give ourselves more options and be more inclusive for everybody.”
Skwelk̓wélt means the high alpine traditional Secwépemc hunting and gathering grounds in Secwepemctsín language, Jones explained. Skwelk̓wélt is the traditional place name for Sun Peaks.
The word Indigenous covers First Nations, Metis and Inuit.
The Skwelk̓wélt Indigenous Snowsports Team
The team gets ready in the Annex every Saturday, signing in athletes as they prepare for training.
Earl Celesta, a coach and parent on the team, said the snow conditions this year are something the team had to get used to, just like anyone else who chases snow sports in B.C.
“We weren’t really sure what the weather was going to do, but we settled into the conditions. It’s a little challenging sometimes with the younger ones just being on spring condition right away.”
As athletes and supporters laughed and chatted in the Annex, board members explained to SPIN the team has two fundraisers over the next month.
There’s a cash prize raffle and a cleaning product raffle.
A cash raffle was drawn on Feb. 10, and the first prize was $1000, the second prize was $750, the third prize was $500 and the fourth was $250.
The cleaning raffle comes packed with $600 worth of supplies and will be auctioned off on Feb. 24.
People can visit The Annex on Saturdays for tickets to the fundraisers or to learn more about the team.
In the future, the team wants to raffle a snowboard by partnering with a local business.
Edward Clarke has coached athletes on the team for nine winters and currently instructs the high-performance stream. He said fundraising efforts play an essential part in helping athletes succeed.
“As a parent-run non-profit, constant fundraising is necessary because we don’t get as much support as we did when we had government funding,” Clarke said.
The money goes towards up-to-standard equipment for the team, which has more than 50 athletes, and paying coach wages.
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