Living Skies Basketball League

Living Skies Indigenous Basketball League (LSIBL) is Saskatchewan’s first ever, provincial-wide Indigenous youth basketball league.

The Living Skies Indigenous Basketball League provides opportunities for youth across the province and fosters athlete well-being by providing a holistic approach to sport. The League supports the Indigenous athlete’s sport pathway by providing a safe environment, building capacity, removing barriers of entry, fostering teamwork and togetherness, and creating lasting opportunities in our communities.

Athletes from the ages of 11-17 can participate in the league. There will be no cost to register and up to 650 athletes can participate. It will run from September – March and wrap up with a Provincial Championship. The league is providing a holistic approach to sport, working on the physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional aspect of every athlete. It is comprised of three components:

1. On-Court Sessions
2. Workshops
3. Cultural Education

Why is the Living Skies Indigenous Basketball League important?

• Provides athletes with the skills to help them become more equipped to handle life beyond the court
• Provides opportunities for urban Indigenous youth throughout the province
• Builds capacity of certified coaches and officials
• Fosters teamwork, collaboration, and social skills
• Builds confidence and self-esteem
• Extracurricular activities have been linked to lower rates of suicide
• High school female athletes are 92% less likely to use drugs
• High school athletes are 3 times more likely to graduate than non-athletes
• 35% of Indigenous youth do not play sports at least once a week

Projected Outcomes/ Impact

• Athletes with the skills to help them become more equipped to handle life beyond the court
• Increased interest in physical activity
• Increased feelings of wellbeing
• Increased feelings of connection
• Deeper understanding of identity and culture
• Celebration of Indigenous culture in Saskatchewan
• More opportunities to build relationships and find understanding (reconciliation)
• More certified coaches and officials

Established Partnerships

Community, Provincial, and National sponsorships will be an integral part of the league’s success. In the development of the league, staff have developed relationships and partnerships with:

• National Association of Friendship Centres
• Friendship Centres throughout Saskatchewan
• NBA Canada
• Think Indigenous
• Canada Basketball
• Basketball Saskatchewan Inc.
• Aboriginal Sport Circle
• Coaches Association of Canada
• Coaches Association of Saskatchewan
• Sask Sport
• North American Indigenous Games- Team Saskatchewan
• Basketball Without Borders
• U of S Huskies Basketball Programs
• U of R Cougars Basketball Programs

COACHING EDUCATION

We want to build the capacity of certified coaches and officials in urban Indigenous communities. As a result, we are providing certification to 44-88+ coaches and 22+ officials prior to the start of our league in the fall of 2021. This will ensure that athletes are receiving consistent and appropriate guidance, as well as improving the sustainability in each community.

With the help of Canada Basketball, a basketball curriculum with practice plans has been created. We want to ensure that all athletes are obtaining proper and consistent coaching that will help with their development and transition to high-performance events like:

• North American Indigenous Games Team
• Team Saskatchewan
• Nxt Up Program
• University/College

Most importantly, the curriculum will be grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing to help our youth stay connected to culture and learn Indigenous values.