Four NAIG athletes to compete in their home First Nations communities
MAIN PHOTO: Houston Maloney (left) and Brody Knockwood (right) pose at the ballfield in Sipekne’katik First Nation wearing their Indian Brook Hawkeyes uniforms. (Photo by Josh Young).
By Josh Young, Special to The Laker News
SIPEKNE’KATIK/MILLBROOK: Good luck finding a parking spot when the hometown Indian Brook Hawkeyes in Sipekne’katik First Nation are playing during a tournament. The whole town has those games circled on their calendars.
This week, they won’t be cheering for the Hawkeyes but for Team Mi’kmaw Nova Scotia’s under-16 and under-19 male softball teams during the North American Indigenous Games.
Hawkeyes Casen Augustine, Brody Knockwood and Houston Maloney are used to playing in that electric atmosphere. But the stakes are higher when they play in Sipekne’katik for Team Mi’kmaw.
“At first, you’re excited to represent your community as we do for the Indian Brook Hawkeyes, it’s such a great feeling. But to represent the Mi’kmaq in this province is one of the greatest feelings you’ll ever get,” said Maloney.
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The North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) are happening from July 15-23 in Kjipuktuk/Halifax, Millbrook, and Sipekne’katik First Nations. More than 5,000 athletes from over 756 nations across Turtle Island (North America) are competing in 16 sports.
Most sports will be played in Halifax but Team Mi’kmaw’s u16 and u19 male softball teams will compete in Sipekne’katik. The 3D archery competitions will occur in Millbrook First Nation, where Ryan Wilmot-Hanes will compete at home.
“It feels great; it’s really an opportunity I don’t want to miss out on,” said Wilmot-Hanes.
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The 15-year-old Augustine is the captain of the u-16 softball team and is predominantly a pitcher and third-baseman.
Maloney, 17, is a catcher and 18-year-old Knockwood is a pitcher for the u-19 team. Augustine, Knockwood, and Maloney’s second home is the ballfield. They go almost every day to either play or train.
“This is our home; this is where Houston and I became pitcher and catcher. This is where we were made,” said Knockwood.
They are all excited to represent Sipekne’katik (Indian Brook is the settler’s name) at home during the games. It is a community in love with softball.
“I enjoy the atmosphere, the fans, the people in the community and how one sport can bring us together. If you have problems with each other, at the ball field, it is just dropped. Everyone goes out and enjoys watching the sport,” said Maloney.
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Both teams will play two games in Sipekne’katik.
The rest will be played at the Halifax Common. The three softball players believe they can win at home.
“It’s going to be amazing because I’m in my home community and everyone is going to cheer for me.”
“I’m going to play the hardest I can to bring a championship home to that community,” said Augustine.
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However, the three softball players aren’t the only ones competing on their home soil. Ryan Wilmot-Hanes, a 16-year-old from Millbrook First Nation, will compete in 3D archery on a wilderness trail in Millbrook.
The archers will travel through the trail and shoot fake animals like deer, bears, and foxes.
Wilmot-Hanes hoped to compete in the games in 2020 before they were postponed to this year because of the pandemic. He lived in Grand Prairie, Alta. and would have represented Alberta. He moved to Millbrook two years ago and now represents a community where his Kiju and Papa (grandparents) and cousins live.
“This is something I’ve been looking forward to for so long, not only because I have this opportunity now but because I had this opportunity a few years ago,” said Wilmot-Hanes.
Once Wilmot-Hanes moved to Nova Scotia, he got on Team Mi’kmaw’s radar after winning a gold medal at the 2022 Mi’kmaw Summer Games in Potlotek First Nation.
“It’s just really relaxing and something that mellows me out,” said Wilmot-Hanes. “You will be in nature and surrounded by woods usually. It is something that is traditional.”
Wilmot-Hanes is also a Special Olympian. He won a gold medal in basketball at the summer provincial games earlier in the month.
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Millbrook First Nation Chief Bob Gloade said 31 athletes from Millbrook are competing in the games.
He said a few archers from Millbrook decided to play other sports during the games, so he is happy that Wilmot-Hanes could participate.
“It’s very important because when you’re hosting the event and have at least one of the community members participating in the games, it’s a huge honour and a privilege to have that happen,” said Gloade.
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The games will be played in HRM, Sipekne’katik, and Millbrook First Nations with extra attention from scouts and media. Maloney is ready for the spotlight.
“We’ve been overlooked for so many years beforehand, and now to have the spotlight on us on one of the biggest stages in Indigenous (sport) is great…Now that you’re going into this tournament, all eyes are on us, and you feel like you’re on top of the world.”
The competition starts for the four athletes on Monday, with the softball teams competing in Sipekne’katik and Wilmot-Hanes shooting in Millbrook.
“It’s exciting,” said Knockwood. “I’m ready to perform under the light.”
According to a post by Sipekne’katik Rec, Royce Nevin; Kayla Nevin and Jaici Syliboy are on the U19 women’s softball team are other Sipekne’katik locals competing at NAIG.
This story was done by Josh Young, a freelance journalist in Halifax. He graduated from graduate from the University of King’s College in 2019 with a Bachelor of Journalism (Honours).
