Indigenous Games medal winner brings track and field North

Multiple North American Indigenous Games-medal winner Elsie Derouin has been busy over the past three years introducing track and field to thousands of students in 55 northwestern Ontario First Nation communities.
The winner of silver medals in shot put and the 4x100 relay and a bronze medal in discus at NAIG 2008 visited the students along with partner Scott Haines as part of a three-year Sport for More project - Keeping First Nations First, which was funded by Ministry of Health Promotion through Athletics Ontario.
“It was very different, challenging at times,” said Derouin, a Lac Seul band member from Hudson. “We usually worked into the classes’ gym schedules so we wouldn’t disrupt any of their other classes.”
When they arrived at the schools, Haines would usually speak to the students about potential opportunities to participate in upcoming NAIGs.
“He let the students know there are games going on that they can try out and are eligible for,” Derouin said. “I think it would be a very good experience for the students; they get to travel, they get to meet other young athletes like themselves and to compete.”
Derouin and Haines began the project in 2009 in a number of Treaty #3 and Nishnawbe Aski Nation communities and finished it this spring in two Robinson Superior Treaty communities, Pic River and Gull Bay.
“We would set up about five or six different stations,” Derouin said, “and we would rotate all the students through them.”
The students were scored on their results in the balance beam, standing long jump, speed bounce, a target throw with bean bags, high stepper and indoor javelin, with the total results being tabulated at the end of the day.
“There were some very good students in almost every community that we visited,” Derouin said. “There were a lot of students who would say they couldn’t do it, but after one or two tries they were able to get it.”
One of the long-term goals of the project is to discover high-level athletes in the communities who could eventually go on to represent Canada in international competitions, whether those are in track and field or other sports.
“There were many students that were very good and if they pursued track and field or another sport they would be very good,” Derouin said.
Any youth interested in taking part in future NAIGs can find more information at the Facebook page of the Aboriginal Sports Wellness Council of Ontario.
Derouin said she had always been interested in sports but never pursued it until later in life.
“I guess I didn’t know what kind of sport I really liked,” Derouin said. “When the opportunity came to try out, I tried it out and enjoyed the throwing events.”
Derouin also won the 4x100 relay silver medal after joining the 4x100 relay team, which was short one runner.
“I did the running race, which was not my best event, but…” Derouin said.
Derouin plans to go back to college this fall and to get more coaching certificates.