(June 21, 2019) The Alberta Indigenous Games (AIG) are an “Olympics-style”, multi-sport Games held annually for Indigenous youth living in Alberta. The event, which started in 2011, will be held in Edmonton this year from August 11-17, at various locations across the City.

One of the Games’ mandates is “reclaiming our youth through sport development”. The 2019 AIG will also honor the late Allan Ross, who founded the Games, in addition to being a teacher and coach who worked with Aboriginal youth throughout his career.

With soccer being one of the 12 sports on display this year, Alberta Soccer supports both the Games’ mandate and its engagement with Indigenous youth from across Alberta. Alberta Soccer will provide coach, player, and referee development support during the Games, and looks forward to helping expand the soccer competition, as well as the on-going growth and success of future Games. In addition, the Games will serve as a player identification and scouting event for Team Alberta, which will participate in the soccer competition of the North American Indigenous Games in Halifax in August 2020.

For soccer, the AIG permits both team and individual player registrations, so if you or Indigenous players and/or teams in your community, are interested in participating in this year’s edition of the Alberta Indigenous Games, please click here to register.

We’re looking forward to being a part of a successful event at the 2019 Alberta Indigenous Games!

About the Alberta Indigenous Games

August 11-17th, 2019 will bring together Indigenous youth from across Alberta to engage in one week of competitive team sports, traditional games, special events, education, and cultural connection. The 6th overall Games will honour the spirit of the late plan Allan Ross who was the founder of the Alberta Indigenous Games.

The mandate and theme of the Alberta Indigenous Games is RECLAIMING OUR YOUTH through sport development, educational empowerment, career opportunities, and cultural connection. In that spirit, the Edmonton Native Ball Association (ENBA) is honoured to organize the 2019 Alberta Indigenous Games.

Ross based the philosophy of the games around the teachings of Dr. Martin Broken Leg’s “Circle of Courage” philosophy which consist of: Generosity, Independence, Belonging and Spirituality.