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  • 2026 Banquet | NAIAHF

    Saturday, May 30th 2026 Oneida Hotel and Conference Center; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA The North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame will recognize the 2026 inductee class as well as other annual inductees in an exclusive ceremony and lunch on Saturday, May 30, 2026. By honoring and celebrating the empowered journey of these individuals and teams, the hope is their stories may inspire future generations to follow their dreams in athletics. Individual banquet tickets cost $50.00 USD each. Children ages 8 and above costs $30.00 USD each. Payment may be made via the postal service with a check/money order payable to: Empowered Youth Initiative Directives, Dan Ninham, PO Box 652, Red Lake, MN, 56671, USA or PayPal to code: coach.danninham@midco.net and make sure the full payment is USD. The deadline to purchase banquet tickets is Noon, Central Time (CT) on May 15, 2026 Austin Straubel International Airport: The Austin Straubel International Airport in Green Bay, WI is across the road from the host Oneida Casino Hotel and Conference Center: https://www.flygrb.com/ Host Hotel Information: Oneida Hotel and Conference Center, https://www.oneidahotel.com/ Reservations for the Event will be made by individual attendees directly with Hotel’s reservation department. (Call 800-238-4263 or the hotel direct at 920-494-7300). In order to receive the group rate, your attendees must ask for a room in the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame 2026 room block. Additional Hotel Information: If and when the second hotel block gets booked, contact Dr. Dan Ninham for hotel considerations. There may be another hotel block offered but there may be good deals in the area. This is the NAIAHF website: https://www.naiahf.org/ Dr. Dan and Susan Ninham, Directors, NAIAHF, PO Box 652, Red Lake, MN, USA, 56671, cell: 218.368.6430 coach.danninham@gmail.com 2026 NAIAHF Banquet Weekend Schedule Saturday 5/30/2026 8:00am Morning Smudge Ceremony Dr. Artley Skenandore Oneida Hotel and Conference Center; Green Bay, WI Saturday 5/30/2026 9:00am Doors Open to 2026 NAIAHF Banquet Three Clans Complex, Oneida Casino Hotel Saturday 5/30/2026 9:30-11:30am Welcome: Susan Ninham Flag Song: Buffalo Creek Drum Memorial Recognition and Moment of Silence: Ernie Stevens Jr. Family Memorial Honor Song: Chief Philip Whiteman Jr. Blessing for the Food: Susan Ninham Banquet Buffet Breakfast Music Performance: Keith Secola, Anishinaabe, Singer/Songwriter, https://secola.com/ Meet and Greet Inductees Reception Saturday 5/30/2026 11:30 Awards Ceremony: Also Open to the General Public Sponsor Acknowledgment and Speaker Introductions: Dr. Dan Ninham Individual and Team Inductee Recognition: Susan and Dr. Dan Ninham Oneida Smoke Dancers Inductee Group Photo Drawing Prizes During the Banquet Traveling Song: Buffalo Creek Drum Inductee Banners Distribution

  • 2026 Banquet Sponsorship | NAIAHF

    North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame (NAIAHF) Banquet Sponsorship Information Saturday, May 30th, 2026 Oneida Casino Hotel; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA 2026 Sponsorship Information: The deadline to receive sponsorship payment and copy ready logos is noon central time on May 1, 2026. Payment can be sent to PayPal to code: coach.danninham@midco.net or postal mailed in a check or money order to Empowered Youth Development Initiatives, PO Box 652, Red Lake, MN, USA, 56671. Contact Dr. Dan Ninham at 218.368.6430 or coach.danninham@gmail.com to receive additional details about the 2026 NAIAHF Banquet sponsorship opportunities. Sponsorship provides a Nike red bag, 2’x4’ banner and gift to attending inductees. Note: No one is allowed to use the NAIAHF logo to print on a product without written consent from Dr. Dan and Susan Ninham. Platnum Sponsor $7,500 Five reserved VIP banquet tables for 10 per table and 50 total Logo and website link on the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame webpage Logo and website link on the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame webpage 2’x4’ banner at the banquet and property of the sponsor One sponsor spokesperson will speak for five minutes at the afternoon banquet session Announcement of Platinum sponsors at the banquet Gold Sponsor $5,000 Three reserved VIP banquet tables for 10 per table and 30 total Logo and website link on the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame webpage 2’x4’ banner at the banquet and property of the sponsor One sponsor spokesperson will speak for five minutes at the afternoon banquet session Announcement of Gold sponsors at the banquet Silver Sponsor $3,000 Two reserved VIP banquet tables for 10 per table and 20 total Logo and website link on the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame webpage 2’x4’ banner at the banquet and property of the sponsor One sponsor spokesperson will speak for five minutes at the afternoon banquet session Announcement of Silver sponsors at the Banquet Bronze Sponsor $1,000 One reserved VIP banquet table for 10 total Logo and website link on the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame webpage 2’x4’ banner at the banquet and property of the sponsor One sponsor spokesperson will speak for five minutes at the afternoon banquet session Announcement of Bronze sponsors at the Banquet Hall Of Fame Table Sponsor $400 per 10 seat table 2’x4’ banner at the banquet and property of the sponsor Sponsor may designate who will be seated or allow Dr. Dan and Susan to seat people Announcement as a Table Sponsor at the Banquet Hall of Fame Banquet Drawing Prize Sponsor $500+ retail value of drawing prizes 2’x4’ banner at the banquet and property of the sponsor Announcement as a Drawing Sponsor at the Banquet 2025 Sponsors

  • NAIAHF Coaches

    Coaches Alex “Askie” Askenette Menominee Cherlyn Dawn Billy Shuswap Nation Fern Spencer Hopi/Navajo Jacqueline Lavallee Metis Jason Peters Mi’kmaw Kelvin Sampson Lumbee Mark Burnam Mohawk Orin Lou Askenette Menominee Athena Aitken Anishinaabe/Hocąk Craig Berube Cree Gerald “Jerry” Tuckwin Prairie Band Potawatomi Jason G. Montoya Santa Ana Pueblo Jonathan Harmon Hopi Kerry Danforth Oneida Marty Ward Cherokee Rick Baker Hopi August Wesley Narragansett Dano Thorne,’kwaliquinum’ Coast Salish Cowichan and Nez Perce Greg Henhawk Mohawk Jason Johnson Onondaga Nation, Wolf Clan Kellen Sampson Lumbee Malcolm Blacksmith Sioux Valley Dakota Nation Michael Daney Choctaw Terry Ware Kiowa

  • NAIAHF Builders

    Builders 7G Foundation Pauma Band of Luiseño Indian Darlene Ahmo Sagkeeng Anicinabe Nation Ernie St. Germaine Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe Matt Roberson Wichita/Keechi Sianneh Mulbah Ojibwe Alfred Jacques Onondaga Denise Tsadeyohdi Waterman Oneida John Alexander Hunter Muscogee Creek Rick Brant (Teho:ka) Mohawk Walter and Verna Fontaine Sagkeeng First Nation Bennae Calac Pauma Band of Luiseño Indian Dennis Parrish Stewarts Point Rancheria of Kashaya Pomo John Lyall Kwakwaka’wakw Ryan Salmon Ojibwe Wilton Littlechild Cree Claudia Jimerson Cayuga Nation, Bear Clan Dr. Rosalin Miles Lytton First Nation Kathy Smith Mohawk Sam McCracken Sioux and Assiniboine Curt Styres Mohawk, Wolf Clan Dustin Quinn Martin Navajo Krista Hodder Mi’kmaw from Membertou First Nation Scott Daniels Mistawasis Nêhiyawak

  • NAIAHF Media

    Media Cuyler Frank Navajo Mark D. Williams Choctaw Theodore Niizhotay Fontaine Sagkeeng Anishinaabe First Nation Dallas Soonias Nehiyaw/Anishinaabe Matthew Sakiestewa Gilbert Hopi Eugene Oree Foster Navajo Perry William Kelly Metis LA Williams Diné Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi Diné (Navajo)

  • NAIAHF Trainers

    Trainers Marty Ward Onondaga Nation, Snipe Clan Harold Ladouceur Cree Gerald (Jerry) Gourneau Turtle Mountain Chippewa Chamisa Goodwin Ojibwe Dominic Tiger-Cortes Muscogee Creek Tim Moccasin Cree Thomas Gardipy Jr. Beardy’s and Okemasis’ Cree Nation

  • Fern Spencer, Hopi/Navajo

    Fern Spencer <Back Hopi/Navajo Induction Category: Year Inducted Coach 2024 Fern L. Spencer is Hopi from the Water clan and Navajo from the Honeycomb and Towering House clans and lives in Tohatchi, NM. She recently retired after 49 years in education and coaching at Tohatchi High School. Spencer was born in Phoenix, AZ. She was a 1968 graduate of Gallup High School. She attended Western New Mexico University in Silver City, NM. She walked on to the team at a time when there was six person basketball for women. By the end of her time at the university women’s basketball transitioned to five person basketball. When she received her first teaching job in 1974, she was asked if she was interested in coaching the girls’ basketball team. She accepted and taught for 49 years including 37 years coaching basketball and ten years in cross country. During that time she accumulated 517 wins and the team were 1982 New Mexico State Runner Up and earned six district titles, six trips to state, eight All Star teams, and coached the NM All Stars in Australia 2006. Spencer was named the 2004 New Mexico Girls Basketball Coach of the Year. She received a plaque for coaching 400 wins in 2003 when she received the New Mexico Girls Basketball Coach of the Year award. She also received honors as 2006 Athletic Director of the Year, 2014 New Mexico High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame, 2019 National Federation of Coaches Hall of Fame and 2023 New Mexico High School Distinguished Service Award. She was named to the Navajo Times Hall of Fame and coached games between New Mexico and Arizona after the season ended from 1990 to 1994. Spencer was also President of the New Mexico High School Coaches Association and the New Mexico Athletic Directors Association. She is also the current vice-president for the All-Indian Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Native American Rodeo Historical Society. She had a great experience coaching student athletes and her philosophy has been academics first then athletics.

  • Haudenosaunee Dehontsigwaehs IIJL WORLD U18 LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP (WU18LC) 2016 Gold Medal: Iroquois

    Haudenosaunee Dehontsigwaehs IIJL WORLD U18 LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIP (WU18LC) 2016 Gold Medal: Iroquois Team 2026 Induction Category: Year Inducted <Back Bronson Hill, Daris Anderson, Emmett Smith, Jackson Miller, Jaxon Martin, Jesse Longboat, Landon General, Luke Montour, Marshall Powless, Marty Bomberry, Matt Miller, McCoy Abrams, Mike Martin-Abel, Nick Martin, Riley Laforme-Hess, Riley Miller, Ryan Johnson, Sam Gowland, Shane Henry, Sheldon Hill, Tanner Jonathon, Trent Martin Head Coach: Joe Powless Assistant Coach: Mike Miller

  • Delby Powless, Mohawk

    < Back Delby Powless Delby Powless Mohawk Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 Delby Powless is member of the Mohawk Nation. He is a Child and Youth Counselor in his home community, Six Nations of the Grand River, in Ontario, Canada. Powless played five seasons with the Six Nations Junior A Arrows lacrosse club and is currently the team’s All-time leading scorer with 686 total points. While attending Herkimer County Community College, Powless was twice named All-American. He transferred to D1 Rutgers University where he led the Scarlet Knights in scoring both years and was a 2x All-American, while leading Rutgers to 2 NCAA tournament appearances. Powless also won a Canadian University lacrosse championship with Brock University and was named All-Canadian. Powless represented the Iroquois Nationals lacrosse team as a player at six World Championships, and at the first-ever World Indoor Lacrosse Championships, he was selected to the All-World Team. In 2003 Powless was named the recipient of the Tom Longboat Award as Canada’s Top Aboriginal Athlete. Powless was drafted 1st overall in the 2004 National Lacrosse League entry draft by the Buffalo Bandits and helped them win the Champions Cup in 2008. Powless also played in Major League Lacrosse with Toronto Nationals winning the Steinfeld Cup in 2009. <Back

  • Jim Neilson | NAIAHF

    Jim Neilson Category Athlete Tribe Big River First Nation Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 11/28/1941 - 11/6/2020 Jim Neilson was one of the first Indigenous superstars in the sport of hockey, playing in the National Hockey League for 16 seasons. Born in Big River, Saskatchewan and raised at an orphanage in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Neilson honed his hockey skills through his youth. At 17 he played Junior A with the Prince Albert Mintos in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. He made his professional debut at 19 for the Kitchener-Waterloo Beavers of the Eastern Professional Hockey League, named the league’s top rookie in 1962. That fall he joined the New York Rangers of the NHL for the next 12 seasons. He was named the Rangers top defenseman in 1966 and was runner-up to Bobby Orr for the Norris Trophy (top defenseman) in 1967-68. Neilson and the Rangers lost in the 1972 Stanley Cup Final to Boston in 6 games. In 1974 he was traded to the California Golden Seals, where he was named team captain and Team MVP in 1975-76. Neilson finished his NHL career with the Cleveland Barons for 2 seasons, where he again was the team captain. He was the team nominee for the Bill Masterton Award presented to the player who depicts perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication. His professional career concluded in 1978-79 when he played with the Edmonton Oilers in the World Hockey Association where he was a teammate of 17 year-old Wayne Gretzky. In 1,023 regular season NHL games, Neilson had 69 goals and 299 assists and was named to 4 NHL All Star Teams. Jim Neilson was inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. Home 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

  • Sydney Daniels, Mistawasis Nêhiyawak

    < Back Sydney Daniels Sydney Daniels Mistawasis Nêhiyawak Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Sydney Daniels is a proud member of Mistawasis Nêhiyawak First Nation on Treaty 6 Territory. Daniels completed a four-year NCAA Division 1 ice hockey career at Harvard University where she obtained many accolades including ECAC Hockey All-Academic selection, Multiple ECAC Player of the Month, All-ECAC Hockey Team, All-Ivy League Team. Most importantly, Sydney was selected to captain the team her senior year. Daniels has also participated in multiple tournaments as a member of Team USA bringing home both a silver and gold medal in the IIHF World Championships at both the U-18 and U-22 levels. After her collegiate career, Daniels was drafted third overall in the NWHL to the New York Riveters. She played her first professional ice hockey season with the Boston Pride of NWHL. Daniels spent four seasons as an NCAA Division 1 Assistant Coach for Harvard University from 2018-2022. As a coach, she helped the team in winning the Ivy League, the ECAC regular season, and the Beanpot Championship. Most recently, Daniels was hired by the Winnipeg Jets as a member of the NHL scouting staff, with a specific focus on recruiting within the NCAA. She is the first female from Treaty 6 Territory to be an operations staff member of an NHL team. Daniels is passionate about finding ways to use her experiences to uplift Indigenous Youth. For the past six years, Daniels and her father, Scott Daniels, also a 2024 NAIAHF inductee and former NHL player, run the Daniels Hockey School, a multi-day youth hockey camp for Indigenous youth. Daniels Hockey focuses on creating safe and inclusive spaces for Indigenous Youth to feel safe, have fun, and develop their hockey skills. She hopes to continue to find ways to support and empower Indigenous youth to chase their dreams. <Back

  • Brandon Nolan, Ojibway

    < Back Brandon Nolan Brandon Nolan Ojibway Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Brandon Nolan, a proud Ojibway from the Garden River First Nation, played in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Oshawa Generals, eventually becoming a two-time OHL All-Star and a consistent top scorer in his three years playing for the Generals. It was Nolan's strong play with the Oshawa Generals that helped him get drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the third round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, then again in the fourth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. Nolan played professional hockey for five years, playing for the Manitoba Moose (AHL), Columbia Inferno (ECHL), Vaxjo Lakers (Swedish League), Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL), Albany River Rats (AHL), and the Carolina Hurricanes (NHL). He eventually reached his boyhood dream of playing in the NHL when he was called up from the AHL’s Albany River Rats to the Carolina Hurricanes on December 22, 2007. Realizing a lifelong dream is not easy, and Nolan did it. Nolan played six games for the Carolina Hurricanes that season, but on February 22, 2008, his life would change forever. He suffered a serious concussion during a game in the AHL and was forced to retire from the game he loved. After taking two years off to recover from post-concussion syndrome, Nolan enrolled into Durham College hoping to obtain a diploma in Business Administration, specializing in marketing. Putting forth his best effort and applying the skills he learned and the values that were instilled on him by his parents Ted and Sandra including hard work, perseverance, completing what you start, Nolan eventually graduated in 2012 as the highest ranking graduate in his entire program, as well as winning multiple awards, including the National Aboriginal Achievement Award for academic excellence. Like his father Ted, giving back to First Nations and First Nations youth was very important to him. Having co-created the 3NOLANS First Nation Hockey School with his father and brother, and having directly affected the lives of over 2,500 youth, Nolan looks forward to continuing to be a positive role model for First Nations people for many years to come. <Back

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