National Indigenous Coaching Awards Recipients

2024

Jacob Klengenberg

Jacob Klengenberg is a dedicated and resilient wrestling coach based in Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories. Born and raised in the community, he serves as the head coach of the local wrestling team. Despite never having wrestled himself, Jacob eagerly accepted the role when asked to help coach the newly established team. For Jacob, accepting this role was his way of giving back to his community, having been mentored through sport in his own life. Jacob understands the transformative power of sport, recognizing its ability to help people their identities and view life through a more positive lens. As a support assistant and teacher at the local school, Jacob works closely with students both during school hours and after. He emphasizes holistic growth in his coaching, integrating educational, social, and emotional development into his coaching.

Two of Jacob's athletes from Ulukhaktok proudly represented Team Northwest Territories at the 2023 Arctic Winter Games, making them the only wrestling athletes from the region to compete. Under Jacob's guidance, they exemplified the values of sportsmanship, earning Fair Play pins at the event. His coaching philosophy centers on creating an environment filled with encouragement and celebration, where atheltes are inspired to try new things, have fun, and appreciate the journey over the outcome. In 2024, Jacob served as the assistant coach at the Arctic Winter Games in Mat-Su, Alaska, leading a team of seven athletes. He is a passionate advocate for his athletes, working tirelessly to overcome the barriers they face in sports participation. His commitment was evident as he ensured his athletes from his remote community had the opportunity to compete at the 2024 Games.

Jacob is dedicated to continuously enhancing his coaching skills. He has participated in wrestling workshops, professional coach development programs, and has taken the ASC's Aboriginal Coaching Modules and Indigenous Communities Active for Life workshop. In addition to developing a wrestling curriculum, Jacob has played a key role in expanding wrestling programs across Nunavut and the Nortwest Territories. He has organzied and run wrestling tournaments in his community, stating, "Tournaments like this are special because they bring us together". A strong advocate for a holistic lifestyle, Jacob is deeply involved in cultural activities within his community. He possesses a remarkable ability to empathize and connect to his athletes. In recognition of his contributions, Jacob was honoured with the NWT ASC Coach of the Year Award in 2023.

Amy Wilson-Hands

Amy Wilson-Hands is a passionate and inspiring volleyball coach who has achieved remarkable success from grassroots levels to the international stage. Those that know Amy describe her as unwaveringly committed, possessing integrity, and instilling a holistic approach to life. Early in her career, she dedicated herself to coaching development programs, understanding the crucial impact coaching has on shaping athletes. As a role model in her community, Amy not only coaches her teams but also mentors young coaches and promotes sportsmanship.

Her dedication, discipline, and respect set a standard that inspires both on and off the court. Amy embodies values that encourage fair play, inclusivity, mutual respect, and emphasizing the importance of the journey alongside the outcome. Amy believes and demonstrates that optimal performance arises from a harmonious integration of mind, body, and spirit. She incorporates teachings from Indigenous cultures, particularly the Seven Grandfather Teachings (wisdom, love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility, and truth), into her coaching philosophy. By promoting the learnings of Indigenous teachings, she empowers her Indigenous athletes while enlightening her non-Indigenous athletes, fostering cross-cultural understanding. Amy is dedicated to creating a respectful and inclusive environment where both Indigenous and non-Indigenous athletes feel valued. Demonstrating her commitment to inclusivity, Amy owns the Niigaanii Development Camps, a program aimed at nurturing young Indigenous athletes. Amy advocates for Indigenous representation and excellence in sports coaching and for equal opportunity for Indigenous youth.

In 2023, Amy received the Coaching Award of Excellence for her exemplary leadership and innovative coaching methods, being one of just 5 coaches honoured by the Coaching Association of Ontario. Additionally, she was selected as one of only 15 coaches nationwide for the Coaching Association of Canada's Enhanced Female Mentorship Program. After serving as an Aboriginal Apprentice at the 2017 Canada Summer Games and working diligently, Amy reached her goal of becoming an assistant coach for the Ontario tea, at the 2025 Canada Games. On the International stage, Amy was appointed head coach of the Junior Women's National Team, leading Team Canada at the NORCECA Continental Championships in Honduras last November, which secured the team a spot at the FIVB World Championships in Peru - a significant achievement for Team Canada.

2023

Savanna Smith

Savanna is an international level lacrosse coach from Surrey, British Columbia. She has had the pleasure of coaching at the North American Indigenous Games multiple times, leading her team to the podium each time. She has also coached at the international level, serving as the Team Manager for the 2019 Haudenosaunee Female Lacrosse Team for the 2019 World Lacrosse U19 Women's Lacrosse Championships. She is a well-known and well-respected Box and Field Lacrosse coach. Savanna embeds Indigenous culture and traditional practices into coaching, ensuring that her athletes are developing holistically.

Tyndall Fontaine

Tyndall is an international level lacrosse coach from Fort Alexander, Manitoba. His commitment to personal growth and development has been unwavering, these qualities have led him to coach at the North American Indigenous Games, to serving many roles in both Indigenous and mainstream lacrosse associations, to serving as Assistant Coach for Team Poland in the World Junior Lacrosse Championships in 2022. Tyndall's strives to be a positive influence in the community and with his athletes, regardless of their level of play.

2022

Renée Sonnenberg

Renée Sonnenberg is the consummate coach who found her ultimate calling via successful careers in teaching and high-performance competition. Renée is not only a shining example of achieving coaching excellence to the highest degree, but she is also in constant pursuit of self-improvement and learning and is now investing in the growth of coaching by mentoring and guiding Indigenous coaches and athletes.

Along with her absolute commitment to continuous learning and self-improvement, Renée exemplifies kindness, fair play, sportsmanship and character.

Renée is always smiling, encouraging, and supportive. She treats everyone around her with respect and embodies what we prioritize as "safe sport" values and principles.

Jeff Ross

Coach Ross is a national level volleyball coach, who currently coaches at Douglas College.

He is involved at all levels in the sport of volleyball. From the grassroots sport and player development to high performance coaching with Volleyball Canada's National Women's program, to his involvement with Indigenous sport through the North American Indigenous Games teams.

In addition to mentorship and professional development, Coach Ross is involved at the grassroots sport development in the club volleyball system within Volleyball BC which allows him to remain grounded in the foundational aspects of coaches, and community engagement.

His passion to give back to the Indigenous community through self-initiated Indigenous youth sport development programs in Saskatchewan, and Yukon which are meaningful, purposeful and inspirational.

2021

Leanne Sirup
National Level Swim Coach
(British Columbia)

Leanne is a national level swim coach who has coaches at both the Canada Games and the North American Indigenous Games. Leanne has assisted in developing and implementing the Indigenous Community Leadership Program in British Columbia. Throughout the COVID pandemic Leanne continued to engage with her athletes, running Zoom programming and having regular check-ins with her athletes. Leanne provides a variety of programs for her athletes including strength and conditioning programs, outdoor activities and open water swimming.

Patrick Leask
Softball Coach
(Manitoba)

Patrick Leask is a softball coach in Manitoba. What began as a way for him to stay connected to his children became an opportunity for him to mentor young athletes. Throughout the pandemic, Patrick hosted as many clinics as he could with the restrictions that were in place. He partnered with Sport Manitoba to make the sport more accessible to the young people in his community. Patrick offers free clinics to youth ages 7-16, encouraging athletes who have never played before to try the sport. Patrick is committed to removing barriers Indigenous athletes may have accessing sport in their community.

2020

Richard Pellissier-Lush

For over 14 years, Richard-traditional name Kitpu Amalkewinu, or "Eagle Dancer,"-has coached football in PEI while building up his team and community through mentorship and role modeling.

A proud Mi'kmaq man from Lennox Island First Nation, Richard has been the recipient of lifetime achievement awards for his selfless dedication and passion. An inspiration for many, Richard is a Learning Facilitator for the "Aboriginal Coaching Module" (ACM) and has been educated and trained in how to help others reach one's full potentials.

Richard was the creator and coach of the Flag Football team in Abegweit First Nation. Starting with hosting trial sessions to gain interest, Richard then held try-outs and-before too long-had attracted a full team of 14 youth, all engaged in playing. The growth and interest continued and, today, with help from another Coach and the Aboriginal Sport Circle, Richard now has 2 - 3 teams playing in different age categories-a huge achievement for a small demographic of youth in Scotchfort FN.

Now owner, general manager and player of senior men's provincial tackle football team, he has taught through action how to derive a life full of happiness, love, and lifetime friendships through sport.

Veronica McDonald

Veronica McDonald is Dene and a decorated athlete and mainstay of the coaching community. She has acted with dedication and passion in her role as a Traditional Games Instructor with the Aboriginal Sports Circle of the NWT since that program began, training each instructor who has gone through the program. She also steps up regularly to officiate the Traditional Games Championships.

Showing true commitment and initiative, Veronica founded Yellowknife Arctic Sports Club in 2019. As a testament to her effectiveness as a coach, everyone who trained with her group that year who tried out for the 2020 Arctic Winter Games made the team.

Veronica credits her grandfather as her first coach, who also coached her mother from a young age. Her mother, Meika, was also a decorated Arctic Sports athlete. Veronica competed in her first Arctic Winter Games at the age of 8, representing Team NT. Since then, she has continued to attend Arctic Winter Games competitions, racking up medals, awards, world records, and honours along the way. Veronica was the final torch bearer for the opening ceremonies of the 2018 Arctic Winter Games that were hosted in her home town of Fort Smith, NT. Veronica is fantastic athlete, inspiring coach, uplifting role model, and a much-deserving recipient of this year's NICA awards.

2019

Meagan Wilson
Iroquois Roots Rugby
(Six Nations of the Grand River)

Meagan is the Head Coach and Co-founder of Iroquois Roots Rugby. She has is currently coaching age athletes from ages 5-10, including the U18 Rugby 7s team and the mini rugby group at her club, as well as a high school girls' team. When developing the Iroquois Roots Rugby model she stressed the importance of cultural and traditional workshops being apart of the camps as she felt this provides Indigenous youth a sense of self and community at these camps and workshops. Meagan has showed great commitment to growing the sport of rugby and providing an inclusive and welcoming environment.