community
Major games + events
ISWO hosts two provincial sport tournaments on an annual basis – the Ontario Native Basketball Invitational (ONBI) and the Ontario Native Volleyball Invitational (ONVI). In 2023, ISWO held the first-ever Ontario Native Lacrosse Invitational (ONLI), in the community of Six Nations of the Grand River. The event was a resounding success and an incredible addition to ISWO’s roster of provincial tournaments, particularly given the significance of lacrosse as a traditional Indigenous sport. These tournaments draw talented athletes and teams from across the province for an incredible weekend of sport competition, cultural celebration, and community pride.
Masters Indigenous
Games
The Masters Indigenous Games provides Indigenous adults, aged 19 years and older, the opportunity to compete against their peers in a variety of contemporary and traditional sporting activities. MIG is an opportunity to get physically active, engage with community and participate in competition. The Games bring together Indigenous athletes from around the world to compete in sport competitions, celebrate Indigenous wellness and showcase the rich diversity of cultures and traditions of the world’s Indigenous Peoples.
Ontario Native
Basketball Invitational
The Ontario Native Basketball Invitational (ONBI) unites teams from across Ontario in a friendly yet competitive tournament. Players 19U and co-ed elementary players can join with their teams and families. The event includes cultural and leadership activities, boosting confidence, community ties, and friendships, while offering Indigenous youth a chance to engage in competitive sports.
Ontario Native
Volleyball Invitational
The Ontario Native Volleyball Invitational brings together teams from across Ontario to compete in a friendly, yet competitive invitational tournament. Youth ages 14-18 travel with their teams and family members to compete and have fun. With a number of cultural and leadership activities offered throughout the entire tournament, ONVI builds confidence, creates friendships and strengthens communities, while creating opportunities for Indigenous youth to participate in competitive sport with their peers.
Ontario Native
Lacrosse Invitational
The Ontario Native Lacrosse Invitational (ONLI) is a friendly but competitive 3-day invitational tournament for Indigenous youth ages 8-19. The focus is on skill development and a love for the game, with a goal to build confidence and develop an opportunity for Indigenous youth to participate in a competitive-style tournament with their peers. ONLI also acts as an identifier for participation in the next North American Indigenous Games (NAIG), as a part of Team Ontario.
Join Team Ontario
Create your own submission or nominate an athlete to become a member of Team Ontario. Complete an expression of interest in 5 minutes or less.
Submit an Expression of InterestCommunity
Programs & Funds
ISWO is steadfast in its commitment to enhancing the Indigenous sporting community by implementing programs that create more accessible opportunities for participation and achievement.
This is a grant program developed by ISWO and funded by the Government of Ontario, which offers Indigenous communities up to $5,000 for sport equipment and an additional $1,000 for leadership initiatives in sport (i.e. coach certifications, etc.). The program has gone through multiple iterations, delivering more than $225,000 to over 73 Indigenous communities and organizations across Ontario in the past few years alone.
Program Goals
Deliver the tools, equipment, and leadership to install sustainable sports programs in Indigenous communities across the province.
Key Features
- Equipment Grants
- Coaching Programs
- Leadership Tools
Multi-sport camps
ISWO hosts 12 camps annually, engaging over a thousand Indigenous youth in recreational and high-performance sports. These camps aim to enhance physical literacy, develop sport-specific skills, and promote healthy living. They also strengthen community capacity by using local expertise.
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