EDMONTON – The Golden Bears & Pandas Cross-Country program has joined a new partnership with Ever Active Schools, and the Enoch Cree Nation School.
 
The role of the Golden Bears & Pandas Cross-Country program will be to foster a relationship that provides leadership and youth mentorship to the Enoch nation children around daily health & wellness, the positive impacts of daily physical activity, and the value of an education.
 
The Enoch Cree Nation will host a launch for the new partnership between the Cross-Country Program, Maskêkosihk, and Ever Active Schools on September 16^th. Thursday's launch will also include the introduction of the Maskêkosihk Hub for Sport and Wellbeing.
 
"The University of Alberta XC program athletes & coaches are thrilled with the opportunity presented by this partnership to engage and provide direct youth mentorship and community leadership to the Enoch Cree nation," said Bears & Pandas XC head coach Sean Baynton.
 
"There are barriers - social and otherwise - inherent in our society to accessing simple facets such as daily physical health and wellness. Our focus with this project is solely centered around creating opportunities and providing positive academic and athletic role models for Indigenous youth to aspire to."
 
Golden Bears and Pandas coaches and student-athletes will be on hand to champion the Kitaskinaw School run club, and participate in the Fun Run/Walk/Roll in the afternoon.

Fantastic day yesterday with ???? Cross-Country, as they celebrated their new partnership with @EverActiveAB & Kitaskinaw School!

The XC athletes & coaches will provide mentorship to the Enoch Nation children, and promote health & wellness. @UAlberta

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— UAlberta Golden Bears & Pandas (@BearsandPandas) September 17, 2021

 
"It's important that our varsity student-athletes understand these barriers - understand how lucky and privileged they are to be able to chase their academic and athletics dreams at this age & stage of their lives," continued Baynton. "It is important to me as their coach and as representatives of the University of Alberta that they conduct themselves as ambassadors to the community at large, especially the generation of youth who do not have these opportunities presented to them.

Ever Active Schools is a registered national charity designed to create and support healthy school communities. The organization engages and supports schools through a Comprehensive School Health framework, which addresses health and education goals to improve the social outcomes of children and youth in Alberta.

The organization's director, Brian Torrance, spent six seasons competing with the Golden Bears Cross-Country and Track teams (2001-07).
 
"This initiative highlights the power of sport in building relationships, having positive social outcomes and school achievement," said Torrance. "Working with the Pandas and Golden Bears Cross-Country teams will create opportunities to have Enoch youth and the cross-country athletes learn and be inspired by one another".
 
Chantell Widney, coordinator of the Maskêkosihk Hub, highlights that "working alongside the UAlberta Cross Country program will provide opportunities for our youth as we build relationships and work towards reconciliation. The Hub will strive to reduce all barriers to sport and recreation for Enoch youth".

Speeches on Thursday will also be live streamed online:
https://meet.google.com/pbu-yayt-anx