Siksika member wins prestigious athletic award

 

Shannon LeClair

Times Reporter

 

The Tom Longboat Award is one of the most prestigious awards that a Native American athlete can be given and one Siksika Nation member was awarded it. 

The Tom Longboat Award was established in 1951; in 1999 he was voted the #1 Canadian sports figure of the century by MacLean’s Magazine.   

Longboat was one of the top celebrated and gifted athletes in Canadian history. In his third competitive race he set the world record 

At some point or another in his life Longboat held every Canadian record when it came to running, whether it was the one-mile to the marathon. The Aboriginal Sport Circle recognizes the achievements of gifted aboriginal athletes, and once a year they pick the top male and female from each province/territory to win the Tom Longboat Regional Awards. Those athletes are then automatically nominated for the National Award, and the most outstanding male and female Aboriginal athlete in Canada is picked. 

Ammon Crowfoot, 17, was shocked to find out he had won the national award. 

“I was definitely shocked. Someone had to nominate you and my parents nominated me for it, I didn’t know anything about it,” said Crowfoot. 

Crowfoot is a student at Western Canada High School in Calgary. His team had some great achievements such as winning provincials and cities for 4-A basketball. Not only does he get to say he won the award, but his name will be known for generations to come. 

“What came with it was an all expense paid trip to the ceremonies and your name goes on the Tom Longboat award trophy and that trophy sits in the Canada (sports) Hall of Fame, that’s the main thing, that was the cool part,” said Crowfoot.  

He was also given a cash bursary, a commemorative medallion and ring. Because of his amazing achievement of winning such a prestigious award, Crowfoot also spoke as one of the keynote speakers during the showcase Siksika, which took place August 18 and 19.