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Team Alberta #13 David James Villiger of Beaverlodge serves, while #3 Jackson McGillivary of Manning watches from sideline during gold medal game for 19U Men's Volleyball at NAIG 2023, photo courtesy ISCA Facebook
By Erika Rolling
Sports

Ten medals won at North American Indigenous Games by Peace Region athletes

Jul 27, 2023 | 1:38 PM

The 2023 North American Indigenous Games wrapped up this past weekend in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Alberta athletes won 82 medals at the games – 27 gold, 28 silver, and 27 bronze, and placed fourth overall out of 23 regional teams from across Canada and the United States.

Out of the 82 medals coming home to Alberta, ten of them were won by young athletes from the Peace.

Gold Medal Winners

The 19U Male Volleyball team won gold on the final day after sweeping their competition all week. They won all four of their preliminary pool games, losing only one set in their second match against Manitoba. They advanced to the finals after beating Ontario in their semi-final in four sets. Team Alberta won the gold medal against Manitoba in four sets.

Four players on the team are from northwestern Alberta:

  • #1 Jacob Jonathan Courtoreille of Grimshaw
  • #3 Jackson McGillivary of Manning
  • #16 Rayden John Micheal McGillivary of Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement
  • #13 David James Villiger of Beaverlodge
    Team Alberta U19 Male Volleyball Team for NAIG 2023, photo courtesy ISCA Facebook

The 19U Female Soccer team also won gold on the last day of competition at the games. The girls won all four of their preliminary games in their pool and beat Team Ontario in the final 5-1.

There are two Grande Prairie players on the team:

  • #7 Medea Jane Chiba
  • #12 Natalie Nicole Kirk
    Team Alberta 19U Female Soccer team winning gold at NAIG 2023, screenshot courtesy NAIG 2023 Youtube

Silver Medal Winners

Majya Cardinal of Grande Prairie is bringing home a silver medal in wrestling after losing to Saskatchewan’s Kayley Clarke in the gold medal bout. She won four of her five preliminary bouts to make it to the top final matchup.

Team AB Wrestling poses after winning medals. Bottom right, second in: Mayja Cardinal of Grande Prairie with silver medal in 58kg Female Wrestling, photo courtesy ISCA Facebook

Emma Lynn Noskey made the podium last Thursday in Athletics for Long Jump 19U Female. She jumped 4.72 meters (15 feet 6 inches) to capture the silver medal.

Emma Lynn Noskey poses with Alberta flag after winning silver and bronze medals in Athletics at 2023 NAIG, photo courtesy Andrea Dechant Noskey Facebook

Bronze Medal Winners

Emma Lynn Noskey made the podium for a second time on the same day in the 200 m 19U Female. She ran a time of 28.050 seconds to capture the bronze medal (pictured above).

The 19U Female Volleyball team brought home the bronze after winning all four preliminary games in their pool. They went on to win their quarterfinals match against the Northwest Territories in three sets, but lost in their semifinal matchup to Saskatchewan in three sets (Saskatchewan went on to win gold against Wisconsin). Alberta beat Manitoba in three sets to capture the bronze medal.

There are three Grande Prairie players on the team:

  • #2 Samantha Elaine Darlene Langdon
  • #10 Erin Noskey
  • #13 Savannah Lambert
    Alberta’s 19U Female Volleyball team, photo courtesy ISCA Facebook

The 19U Male Box Lacrosse team won third place after an 11-9 win against Eastern Door and the North. The team won three of five preliminary games leading up to their winning match.

#41 – Justin Alexander St. Germain of Grande Prairie plays offence and says his goal of the games was to win a medal. He currently plays for the Red Deer Rampage.

Far right: Justin St. Germain of Grande Prairie with teammates after winning bronze medal at 2023 NAIG, photo courtesy Red Deer Rampage Facebook group

The 19U Male Softball team is bringing home hardware, despite not being able to play their final matchup due to severe weather in Nova Scotia that led to the entire province being in a state of emergency after heavy rainfall. The boys played six preliminary games – winning two of those. They lost in their semifinal game to British Columbia 2-1. The team would have played against Saskatchewan in the bronze medal game, but all four teams in the finals were given gold or bronze medals due to the circumstances of not being able to play.

Team AB U19 Male Softball with bronze medal, photo courtesy ISCA Facebook

Two swimmers from the Peace region brought home bronze with their teammates. Abbie Cottingham and Elle Felicity Yvonne MacIntosh, both of High Prairie swam to third place in the 19U Female 4x50m Freestyle Relay.

Top L: Abbie Cottingham, Bottom L: Elle Felicity Yvonne MacIntosh pose with their 19U Female 4x50m Freestyle Relay team after winning bronze at 2023 NAIG, photo courtesy High Prairie Regional Aquatic Centre Facebook

The 16U Male Volleyball team fought hard to win the bronze medal against Ontario. Three boys from the Peace region were on the team:

  • #4 Kashis Gabriel Boucher-Lizotte of Paddle Prairie
  • #11 Mac Ben Lario of Sexsmith
  • #14 Jace Laboucane of Paddle Prairie

The team won four of six preliminary games in their pool and lost to Saskatchewan in their semifinal match in five sets.

Team AB U16 Male Volleyball receiving their bronze medals at the NAIG 2023, photo courtesy ISCA Facebook

The next NAIG will be in Calgary in 2027.

by Erika Rolling