Introducing NIFA Indigenous Women’s Team Canada 2015

The NIFA Women’s Indigenous Team Canada won the inaugural World Indigenous Games soccer championship in 2015. The World Indigenous Games is a multi-sport event with over 2,000 athletes from 30 countries. Indigenous Team Canada, with nine of its 17 players from First Nations communities across BC, played six games against teams from Brazil, Peru and Chile. In the Championship Final, the Canadian team played the host Brazilian Indigenous Nation of Xerente in front of 10,000 local supporters. Regulation play ended 0-0, the Canadian team becoming champions by scoring on three penalty kicks to one. The team repeated its achievement at the 2017 World Indigenous Games.

The story of the team, its experience at the Games and its achievement is told by Dano Thorne, Head Coach: 

“In 1990 the Native Indian (Indigenous) Football Association of BC was founded and created for First Nations and Indigenous footballers across their traditional lands, to promote on-field football excellence,  leadership, identity, culture and a sports forum, so these athletes can live to dream and build lifelong life-skills and friendships through soccer, and to eliminate systemic barriers in sport and society. 

In 1992 the renowned NIFA women's elite program commenced with a five-country tour to Europe. The on- and off-the-field experience of sport and culture was born, where celebration of sport and diversity took place by all teams and cultures. This would prove to be the foundation of all NIFA overseas trips and events. The ladies program gained momentum over 25 years, led by NIFA Founder and Head Coach Dano Thorne, who envisioned great opportunity for the NIFA program to open doors. 

In 2013 NIFA was invited to participate in the first ever World Indigenous Games in Palmas, Brazil, set for October 2015. NIFA invited players from First Nations in BC and the Mohawk Territories to tryout camps in North Vancouver, BC. Twenty-three players were selected and eventually 17 players and five staff travelled to the 2015 Games.

Due a lack of funds and resources, pre-tournament training did not happen. The players, through the expert staff, worked on identical fitness and technical preparation in the two communities in Canada. It proved to be key. 

The team travelled to Brazil and arrived a few days early. Training together for the first time, they came together very quickly, with a strong team spirit, where the goal was to do our best and represent our First Nations back in Canada. We were set. Our preparation met expectations. The ladies started the greatest two-week run in the history of Indigenous football in the world. 

The team won their first game 1-0 and grew stronger after that, with 11-0 and 16-0 scores in the group stage, to win the group. Next we played Team Peru, who were favored to win it all, but they forgot about Indigenous Team Canada, who put in a solid effort to win 2-0, an amazing feat for sure. The team then played Brazil's top two entries in the 32-team field. A tough 4-2 victory in 40+ degree weather in the semi-final meant we had made it to the championship game... the first ever World Indigenous Games final. 

On October 30^th 2015, at 7.30 pm in central Brazil, with over 10,000 Brazilian fans in the stadium, we played in a “World Cup” football final, which was exciting with big plays and near misses by both teams. The game went to penalties and our women, Indigenous Team Canada, won this most sacred of victories in our history and for our communities across BC and Canada, with a 3-1 shootout victory. 

This was a stunning victory by Canadian First Nation indigenous women, a shared pride and celebration for these ladies and coaches. The 2015 team, and the teams which came before, is truly a remarkable story of leadership and passion by the 17 young ladies and the excellent coaching staff. They took the gold medals and won the hearts of their families and communities, and created standards for everyone to follow - a tribute to the players and coaches, support families and NIFA, and to honor First Nations and Indigenous women in our traditional lands in BC and Canada. Thank you everyone! 

The nine BC players in the team were: Lacey Baker (Squamish Nation), Crystal Laughren (Squamish Nation), Justine Laughren (Squamish Nation), Brittany Harry (Tla'amin First Nation), Brandi Francis (Tla'amin First Nation), Margaret Badger (Quatsino First Nation), Jasmine Hunt (Quatsino First Nation), Danielle Dawson (Dzawada'enuxw First Nation) and Kiara Peterson (Namgis First Nation). The staff from BC was: Jason Taylor (Namgis First Nation), William Wasden Sr. (Namgis First Nation) and Dano Thorne - Head Coach and Head of Canadian Delegation (Cowichan Tribes First Nation). 

The Mohawk players on the team were: Wynonna Cross (Kanesatake Mohawk Nation), Melody Horn (Kahnawake Mohawk Nation), Lylee Horn (Kahnawake Mohawk Nation), Journey Jacobs (Kahnawake Mohawk Nation), Rachel Leborgne (Kahnawake Mohawk Nation), Jenna Thompson (Akwesasne Mohawk Nation), Taylor Francis (Akwesasne Mohawk Nation), Lokokwenienstha Porter (Akwesasne Mohawk Nation) and the staff was: Anna Thompson – Trainer/Medical (Akwesasne Mohawk Nation), Lucas Cooper - Equipment Manager and Harry Rice – Assistant Coach (Mohawk Kahnawake Nation). 

NIFA Soccer Society was founded in Cowichan Tribes Traditional Territory and dedicated to our past First Nations soccer ancestors and dedicated to the First Nations and Indigenous soccer players who dream and aspire to play soccer at all levels.” 

The team’s memories include:

Lacey Baker, #7, Captain: "As I accepted the gold medal around my neck there were not enough words that could ever express the feeling that overwhelmed me. Tears of joy flowed down my face. The sense of accomplishment and such pride to be a part of a team from 9 different Nations from across Canada that were able to come together, quickly build chemistry and battle hard with passion to be able to bring home the Gold. Especially with having over 10,000 fans booing only made our victory that much sweeter. This experience will be cherished for a life time. I can only hope what we achieved for our indigenous communities will create greater opportunities for our future athletes."

Wynonna Cross: "The most unforgettable experience, it’s still surreal. To be able to play the sport we love in front of the thousands of people and scoring the winning penalty kick is a feeling I’ll never forget. We played our hearts out and left everything on the field every game which led us to winning the gold."

Harry Rice, Assistant Coach: "It was a world wind experience for me, being the first time I flew to another continent, and to experience the cultural aspect of it was way beyond what I had expected. The soccer aspect was also in question, not knowing how our team would blend together, bringing Mohawk girls to play with BC girls, the style of play might have been different. After one session I believe we knew what we had, and became focused for the round robin and knockout portions of the tournament. The final game was on another level. I don’t think many of our girls have played in front of more than 500 people, but for the host city to have us play in the stadium that holds 10,000 fans - it was the icing on the cake for the NIFA team to pull off the penalty kick victory. Lot of emotion, pride and tears were shed that night, and still are today when I share that video. I am still in awe, and for the team to be placed in the BC Soccer Hall of Fame is the cherry on top of the icing on the cake. We made history in the victory, we are immortalized with the induction."

Notes:

On their return, the team received a letter from Canada Soccer, in which President Victor Montagliani expressed Canada Soccer’s congratulations and pride in this “monumental victory” of Indigenous Team Canada.

A video of highlights of the championship game is available at https://youtu.be/LS6M9GcZxt4