Children from Tla’amin (Sliammon) First Nation were given a big boost last weekend when they received a gift that will keep giving.
High school students from Coquitlam’s School District 43 Me to We program and Aboriginal Youth Leadership program visited Tla’amin March 8 and 9.
They brought a trailer load of equipment needed to start a youth soccer program with one condition—that the Sliammon Junior Braves in turn find a community to help next year.
It is pay it forward with a twist for sports and is designed to help the children most affected by poverty in Canada.
“Being gracious guests we wanted to bring some gifts for the community to keep the aboriginal community strong through sport,” said Rob Cowie, a Coquitlam teacher, to Tla’amin elders, parents and soccer players at the welcoming dinner for the Coquitlam students. “We appreciate the time you will use to play with the youth. For us strength grows through play.”
Brett Anson is a soccer dad of a different sort. “It’s about kids helping kids,” he said. Not only does he coach soccer in Coquitlam, but he also helps his daughter Morgan collect and distribute surplus sports equipment to first nation sports teams around the province.
Morgan, a grade nine student, was given a school project last year to help people. She decided the best way to help was to share her love for sport by giving children sports equipment.
When Morgan heard about the lack of sports equipment in Ditidaht First Nation, an isolated community on southwest Vancouver Island, she knew she could help.
She created the Aboriginal Play it Forward Sports Foundation and went to Coquitlam’s school district for help. Both the Me to We program and the Aboriginal Youth Leadership program helped Morgan collect money and equipment. They collected 200 soccer balls, enough jerseys for three teams and boxes of shoes and other equipment.
After the success of the program, Morgan decided to keep it going and search out more communities in need.
Morgan, a soccer player, found David Moon on Facebook and decided to help him after discovering his determination and effort to build a soccer program in Tla’amin. Moon has been the soccer coach for the Braves since 2009.
“We contacted him and I don’t think he believed us at first when we told him we wanted to help,” said Brett.
The equipment that they raised came from local soccer programs in the Lower Mainland. The gear includes over 300 soccer balls, 150 uniforms, shorts, socks, cleats, first aid kits, cones and skipping ropes.
“It costs so much money to start a soccer club,” said Brett. “Now the focus is on getting the kids playing.”
Moon is excited about what this gift will mean for the community. He has seen the effect not having enough equipment to play sports has on youth. Originally from Campbell River, he has lived in Tla’amin for the past 12 years and has been “adopted by the community as the soccer coach.”
“It’s going to change things 10-fold or even 100-fold,” he said. “I’m looking forward to finding a community next year to play it forward to.”
