The Huskies are proud to celebrate the many contributions and inspirational stories of Indigenous Huskies alumni. Below we hear from Huskie Men's Soccer alumnus Raymond Fox on his journey to sport, time with the Huskies and what inspires him each and every day.

What is your home community and where did you grow up?  

I am a proud member of Sweetgrass First Nation and was raised in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. Growing up I was surrounded by my community, family, and some friends I now call brothers.

How did you get into your sport?  

We had a local soccer program in the BYSA (Battlefords Youth Soccer Association). I was lucky enough to get my sponsorship paid for by the local Tribal Council which eliminated a barrier for me. From there, I started playing rec and club soccer. I spent several years playing there with BYSA until our club no longer supported U16 soccer. I then started to play in men's leagues and rez tourneys! I played at a few different colleges, spent some time in the workforce, and eventually made my way to the Huskies at the age of 25.  

 

What role has sport played in your life?  
I feel like sports were the vehicle that I used to get to places I wanted to go. They also allowed me to find community and connections, specifically within the Native soccer scene where I was able to play with friends and family and travel to many First Nations communities. Lastly, it gave me the opportunity to learn the game and have a life after playing, which I do now as a coach!  

What was your favorite part of being a Huskie? 

As simple as it was, I had a dream from the time I was 12 years old to be a Huskie. It didn't happen for me right out of high school or even a few years after that, but finally being able to just sit in the locker room and have a name plate with my name and number on it was something that made me feel good in my heart.
 
One thing I look back on fondly was working with the Indigenous student athlete group to move forward the Indigenous Huskie logo and bring other projects to Huskie Athletics. I am grateful for everyone who was a part of this, especially to Nicole Orr from Huskie Athletics who made this a priority and supported our Indigenous student athletes immensely.
Finally, I was also awarded an Indigenous Achievement Award from the U of S in the leadership category during my time with the Huskies, which I feel really helped me be confident in my ability to be a leader, coach and mentor.  
 
Who are your biggest inspirations?  

My dad has always been one of my biggest inspirations. He had a grade five education and was the first Indigenous city councillor in the city of North Battleford. I feel that laid the foundation for me to try to achieve all things I set out to do. He has always been my biggest support system. He believes in me with everything.  
I'm also inspired by my family and my community, the ones who have been in my corner before and after my playing career and still support me in life, coaching and in my faith.  
Specific to the Huskies, I feel like both of my coaches inspired me.
Bryce with his willingness to learn who I was as a First Nations person first, allowing me to have a space to smudge in the locker room and supporting both myself and our other First Nations player, Holden McLeay.  
My goalkeeping coach Kent Kowalski inspired me by making me believe that I was good enough to be there, even on the days I was unsure of myself. He led with compassion and his heart, and that was something that I could never thank him enough for. It reminded me a lot of how my father taught and led.  
 

How do you hope to inspire others and the next generation? 
I hope to inspire them by being at a level where I can open doors and speak and advocate for us as Indigenous people, whether that be in my role as a college head coach, or mentorship opportunities supporting things like recruiting, fitness and making the jump to college athletics. I think it's important to be seen, to be heard, and to not shy away when those opportunities present themselves.  
 
During my first year with the Huskies I recognized a few gaps in service for our Indigenous youth so I founded the Indigenous Sports Performance Institute (ISPI). Since inception, ISPI has secured and implemented over $100,000 in grant funding to create meaningful sports and cultural opportunities for youth, with no cost attached. My uncle Marc Long John, who also created the Huskie Athletics Honor song, is continuing our work and mission!  

What does National Indigenous History Month mean to you? 
To me, it's always a month of deep pride and admiration for our people. Usually this is the month where we get to hear stories of people who were the first, or the best, or who truly opened doors or even suffered and endured. It fills my heart to see the people that came before me be honoured, talked about and celebrated for the things they battled, overcame and achieved.