First Nation successful in initial bid to host Summer Games

Though they still have two years before they are in the spotlight, officials from the Muskoday First Nation are already hard at work preparing for the 2013 Saskatchewan First Nation Summer Games.

It was announced in early July that the Muskoday First Nation had beat out four other bids.

The Muskoday First Nation, which has about 600 residents, will host the Games in partnership with neighbouring Prince Albert and the smaller community of Birch Hills.

“It’s going to put us on the map,” said Marvin C. Sanderson, community services director for the Muskoday First Nation. Sanderson will serve as the 2013 Games co-ordinator. “Though we’re a small community, we don’t mind going after big conquests.”

The other First Nations that submitted bids to host the games were Waterhen Lake, George Gordon, Lac La Ronge and Little Pine.

Bids were sent to the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations. The FSIN then had a site evaluation team that ranked the bids.

FSIN Vice-Chief Morley Watson said selecting one bid over others was not an easy process.

“It’s always a tough decision, when you have multiple communities bidding, who have put their time and effort into the bid,” said Watson, who is in charge of FSIN sports, culture and recreation.

“We worked hard. We had done our homework. And we had planned on this for two years,” said Sanderson, who admitted he wasn’t surprised when the 2013 host was announced.

“We’ve always worked together, even before the Games,” Sanderson said of the three communities.

As an example, Sanderson said Muskoday teenagers attend high school in either Prince Albert or Birch Hills.
This was the first time the Muskoday First Nation had submitted a bid to host the Games, which began in 1974.
Since 2001 the Summer Games have been staged every two years, alternating years with the Saskatchewan First Nations Winter Games.

The 2013 competition is expected to attract about 3,000 athletes from across the province. Participants will range in age from 11-18.

The Games will feature six sports; archery, canoeing, golf, softball, soccer and athletics (track and field as well as cross-country running).

There will also be a demonstration sport at the games. FSIN officials are expected to announce the choice between mountain biking, beach volleyball and paintball by September.

Now that the host has been selected, Sanderson said there is plenty of work to do.

Sanderson said Muskoday officials were in the process of applying to the provincial government to seek a non-profit incorporation.

“Once we get that, we can start the ball rolling,” he said, adding various committees would then be formed to organize groups that will be in charge of all of the Games’ facets including transportation, food services and security.

Sanderson is unsure how many volunteers will be required but organizers have calculated that 6,624 hours of volunteer work will be needed.

Volunteer positions will include assisting with accreditation, helping out at the athletes’ village or working at one of the sports venues.

Muskoday First Nation is expected to host the archery, canoeing and cross-country running events as well as some soccer and softball matches. It will also host the yet-to-be announced demonstration sport.