Coaches who dedicate seven hours to attending the Aboriginal Coaching Modules (ACM) can make a lifetime of difference for athletes.

First established in 2003, the ACM was developed by the Aboriginal Sport Circle to address the lack of a national training curriculum that reflects Indigenous values, culture and lifestyle. The program makes coaching through an Indigenous lens an accessible skill to help deconstruct barriers within sport.

“Like most coaches, we want to do what’s best for all of our kids, but what is best for Indigenous kids is not always the same as what’s best for non-Indigenous kids,” said Brett Kirk, coordinator with the Prairie Spirit School Division. “The biggest take away is developing that lens to look at athletics with an Indigenous perspective.”

Kirk first took the course in July 2024 and has since began exploring facilitator training and further observing the course to continue expanding his knowledge.

As an administrator within the school division, Kirk has been able to influence how the division makes decisions at a district level. The ACM course provided him with the knowledge to make informed choices that support Indigenous athletes and begin an open dialogue to discuss what needs to change to create a more inclusive space.

“This has sparked a lot of good conversations about equity in sport. One of the good things about high school sport is that it is accessible to everybody, so we want to make sure that all of our athletes are on that level playing field and we want to make sure we are removing any barriers that are in place because we firmly believe that as a district, as a school division, our teams and our athletes can’t be the best they can be until all of our athletes can be the best they can be,” said Kirk.

That perspective is why ACM facilitator Terence Pedersen has continued to help in the education of coaches. He understands the influence a diverse education can bring to a team environment.

For Pederson, helping coaches understand the variables that effect athletes when away from sport is an important aspect of creating the space within sport for athletes to be the best they can.

“It’s making sure that everyone knows where our Indigenous athletes come from, especially from the background of a single parent or background of not being finically stable, but still wanting to participate,” said Pedersen. “Just knowing our Indigenous athletes are getting better looked after, the way they deserve when not on their home Nations is important.”

The ACM program provides the tools to help coaches connect with Indigenous athletes and create a more supportive environment.

Understanding the barriers that may play a role in an athlete’s life is an important factor when considering an individual’s performance, interest and attitude day-to-day. Unfortunately, this may not always be top of mind for every coach.

That is when ACM training comes in. It provides coaches with the understanding they may not initially have.

“I definitely think that it is opening some eyes for a lot of our coaches. With teachers it’s a little bit different because they have to discuss the history…but we haven’t really applied that to sport or athletics. So, just asking coaches to ask those tough questions of their own coaching and look at the challenges that some of their athletes may face will help develop some empathy and some flexibility,” shared Kirk.

The ACM is taking steps toward achieving a coaching community that understands the importance of being open and accessible to all athletes and their diverse needs.