On Tuesday, the Coaching Association of Canada announced the launch of the 2021 Canada Games Aboriginal Apprentice Coaches Program (AACP).

The AACP is a partnership between the Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC), Canada’s Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies (PTASBs), Provincial/Territorial Coaching Representatives (PTCRs), the Canada Games Council (CGC), and the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC).

It provides the opportunity for each province and territory to send two coaches of Aboriginal ancestry to the Canada Games in apprenticeship roles.

The 2021 Canada Summer Games will be held in Ontario’s Niagara region and representing the Yukon will be Eric Porter.

“It’s really exciting,” said Porter. “It kind of died down because of COVID-19 but when I got the email Friday it came back to the forefront.”

Apprentice coaches will attend the 2021 Canada Summer Games as fully accredited members of their respective provincial or territorial team – for Porter, he will be working with the Yukon soccer team.

By going, Porter and the other apprenticeship coaches will gain valuable exposure to a high-profile multi-sport event and benefit from supervision and evaluation from dedicated mentor coaches.

“It’s going to be huge to get out there and be part of a national program,” said Porter. “Then I’ll be able to come home to Whitehorse and give back at the grassroots level.”

Porter does have previous multi-sport competition experience. He has donned the Yukon colours at the Western Canada Summer Games.

“I have some idea of what I’ll be getting into,” said Porter.

As well, he has experience at the varsity level for soccer, playing for Olds and Lethbridge College.

Porter now works for the Yukon Aboriginal Sports Circle as the sports coordinator and said it keeps fuelling his passion for coaching.

“I love teaching, playing and coaching youth at all levels,” said Porter.

Through the AACP’s history, many of the apprentice coaches have gone on to pursue training within the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) to continue their coaching journeys.

Porter said he will see what happens, but that it would be huge for soccer.

While at the 2021 Canada Summer Games, Porter said he will look to learn from apprenticeship coaches from a variety of sports.

“We are all in the same boat,” said Porter. “We want to bring knowledge back to our communities. There will be tons of sports and other coaches will help you notice the smallest things. It will be great networking too.”

Through its programs, the Coaching Association of Canada empowers coaches with the knowledge and skills, promotes ethics, fosters positive attitudes, builds competence, and increases the credibility and recognition of coaches.

“We are excited to welcome this new cohort of promising Aboriginal apprentice coaches into the program,” said Lorraine Lafrenière, Chief Executive Officer of the CAC in a release.

“Sport plays an integral role in our country’s ongoing process of reconciliation with its Aboriginal peoples; in participating in the AACP, these apprentices will continue to develop leadership skills that will indelibly influence their communities and our country’s sport sector alike.”

Established in 1995, the Aboriginal Sports Circle was created through a national consensus-building process, in response to the need for more accessible and equitable sport and recreation opportunities for Aboriginal peoples.

“The ASC is proud to support this important initiative for Indigenous apprentice coaches,” says, Carey Calder, CEO of the ASC.

“Coaches, through sport and physical activity, play an important role in the development of our youth at all levels. Our Apprentice Coaches are demonstrating leadership and setting positive examples for Indigenous youth across the country.”

“We are excited to welcome this year’s group of Apprentice Aboriginal Coaches to take part in the 2021 Canada Games,” added Dan Wilcock, president and CEO of the Canada Games Council.

“The Canada Games Council and its partners in the AACP strongly believe that coaching apprenticeship programs are important and effective means to attract and support under-represented populations in Canada.”

The Canada Games are held every two years and alternate between winter and summer. They are the largest multi-sport event in Canada for up and coming amateur athletes.

Each Games features two weeks of competition, between 16 – 19 sports, approximately 3,400 summer and 2,350 winter athletes, and over 4,000 volunteers.

The last Games were held in 2019 in Red Deer, Alta and featured winter sports.