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By Alyssa Rudolph

first nations sports

Tryouts for 2026 Summer Games set for next month

Jan 9, 2026 | 4:46 PM

Tryouts for the 2026 Tony Cote Summer Games will begin next month for three of the eight sports: soccer, softball, and beach volleyball.

During tryouts, youth from the First Nations under Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs (BATC) will be evaluated by an unassociated coach. The coach will then provide the organization with recommendations on the top athletes of the group.

“For each sport, there’s a limited set number of athletes that we take, and the evaluator will give us that plus about four or five extra names just in case any athletes get sick,” said Sheldon Fox, communications coordinator for BATC.

Little Pine, a First Nation located west of the Battlefords, will be joining BATC in the new fiscal year. Their available participation in the summer games is currently unknown.

“We’re still figuring out the fine details of whether their athletes are allowed to try out with us beforehand. There’s a meeting next week with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Sports Board regarding that information,” Fox said.

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By the end of this month, BATC will release a call out for volunteer coaches within the First Nations under their organization.

“If they’re from our nations, our nations will cover the cost of the coaches. That kind of helps us and gives us a little bit more room when we’re trying to budget.”

“We see how much interest we get for each group and if we have a group with a lot of people, we go off of certification. If someone has all the certifications needed, they will be the first in line. Whereas if we have a sport with very few, we’ll offer the training needed for the coaches,” said Fox.

Athletes are reminded to show up for tryouts prepared with a water bottle, indoor shoes, and a light lunch.

Tryout dates for golf, archery, athletics, and canoeing will be posted at a later date.

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alyssa.rudolph@pattisonmedia.com