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< Back Glenn Styres ​ ​ ​ Glenn Styres Mohawk Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Glenn Styres started building Ohsweken Speedway in his front yard, a track that has become a top dirt racing destination in Canada. Whether he was building his own Field of Dreams, sponsoring teams from around the world, or as a driver himself, Styres has been a racing industry leader for 30 years. Styres success has been validated internationally by being voted the North American Sprint Car Promoter of the Year eight times. Behind the wheel he was a multi-time champion at his home track, the Ohsweken Speedway and on tour winning the Southern Ontario Sprints Tour Championship multiple times. In recent years Styres has supported international stars like Kyle Larson’s dirt sprint car program as well as being a major sponsor and team owner in the Chili Bowl Nationals and World of Outlaws, including competing himself. Styres is also a role model in the Indigenous community and has a TV series airing on APTN, called Friday Night Thunder, and it takes viewers inside the Ohsweken Speedway. <Back

< Back Henry Boucha ​ ​ ​ Henry Boucha Ojibwe Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2022 While growing up in Warroad, Minnesota, Henry Boucha played on the 1964 Bantam State Championship team, was all-conference in football, baseball, and hockey and was three-time All-State in hockey. Boucha graduated in 1969 from Warroad High School. The Warroad Warriors were runner-up at 1969 Minnesota Boys State Hockey Tournament. He signed with the Winnipeg Jets of the WCHL after high school. As an 18-year old, Boucha was chosen to represent the USA in the 1970 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania. In 1970, he was drafted in the US Army during the Vietnam War. He served two years in the Army while playing with the 1971 US World Championship Team and competing in the 1971 World Championships in Bern and Geneva Switzerland. In 1971 the Detroit Red Wings drafted him 16th overall. Still in the service he also played for the US Olympic Team in 1972 in Sapporo, Japan winning a silver medal. Boucha was the first draft choice of the Minnesota Fighting Saints in the new World Hockey Association just after the Olympics. He signed with the Detroit Red Wings in the 1971-72 season and played the last 16 games with Detroit. In 1973, he scored the fastest goal at the start of the game against the Montreal Canadians. Boucha was traded to the Minnesota North Stars in the summer of 1974. He suffered a major eye injury on January 4, 1975 when Dave Forbes of the Boston Bruins hit him with his stick resulting in a devastating and career ending eye injury. Boucha retired in 1977 as a 25-year-old. He returned to Warroad in the mid 80’s to raise his family. Henry coached youth hockey, was Indian Education Director at Warroad Public Schools, and was a realtor. He is the CEO of Boucha Films, LLC, and CEO of Boucha Films LTD, Canada. Boucha Films is currently in pre-production on the movie based on his book he authored called “Henry Boucha, Ojibwa-Native American Olympian”. <Back

< Back Sam Horsechief ​ ​ ​ Sam Horsechief Pawnee and Cherokee Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Sam Horsechief is the head coach of cross-country and track at Sequoyah High School, a Native American boarding school, located in Tahlequah, OK. He started in February 1987 and has been there ever since. In his 35-year coaching career, he has coached: Eight State Team Championships (Cross Country: 6 boys, 2 girls) 12 State Team Runner Ups (Cross Country 11, Track 1) 95 All-State Athletes (Track 39, Cross Country 56) 31 Regional Championships (20 Boys and 12 Girls) 32 Cross Country Honorable Mention All-State Athletes Horsechief was recognized as the 2006 Oklahoma NFHS Boys Cross Country Coach of the Year, Oklahoma Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year in 2001, 2003, 2019 for Cross Country and again for Track in 2003. In 2019, he was inducted in the Oklahoma Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame. After graduating as a top running athlete from Muskogee High School, Sam Horsechief decided to continue his running career at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas then onto Central State University in Edmond, OK. He ran both track and cross-country. During his time as a collegiate athlete, he set the Haskell school record in the 800m run in 1979 with a time of 1:55.8. He also set more school records at CSU in the 1 mile run with a time of 4:19.3 in 1980 and the 800-meter with a time of 1:52.8 in 1981. In addition, he was a seven-time qualifier for the Nationals meets. In track, he qualified six times and once for the Cross Country National meet in 1980. In track, his events included the 800 meter, 1000m run, two-mile relay, distance medley relay, mile relay, and 1500 meter. He won various medals during his career. Most notable, he was a medalist in the NAIA National Indoor meet for the distance medley for placing sixth. He also earned All-American for that event, where he ran the 800m leg of that race. <Back

< Back Alexandria Town ​ ​ ​ Alexandria Town Mi’kmaw Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Born and raised in Scarborough, ON, Alexandria Town is a competitive wrestler who has been competing on the Canadian National Team since 2018. Town is of mixed race with Black, Indigenous, and European ancestry. She is Mi’kmaw of the Bear Clan and is an engaged member of her local Urban Indigenous community. Town began wrestling in high school at the age of 15. She continued wrestling at York University where her achievements sky-rocketed as she trail-blazed a path for her school’s program, becoming the most decorated female wrestler in York University’s history. Upon graduation in 2018 she was named to the Canadian National team and began competing on the international stage. That same year Town competed at the U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania, where she won the U23 world title, putting her name down in Canadian record books as the first ever Canadian wrestler to do so. Town has garnered an impressive collection of international medals including five Pan American Championship medals, gold at the 2023 Egypt Ranking Series, and bronze at the 2019 Poland Open. Town still wrestles for Team Canada today with hopes of qualifying for the Olympic Games. <Back

Wilton Littlechild Category Builder Tribe Cree Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 4/1/1944 An Indigenous lawyer of Cree ancestry, bestowed as Honourary Cree Chief and International Chief, Wilton Littlechild was elected a Member of Parliament in Canada and Vice-President of the Indigenous Parliament of the Americas. Known for his advocacy, nationally and internationally on Human Rights and Traditional Games and Sports. Born in Maskwacis (Treaty No. 6), raised by his grandparents but taken at the age of six where he spent fourteen years in the Indian Residential School system. He witnessed and experienced various forms of abuse but was also introduced to sports, which he used to motivate his pursuit of excellence and run from abuse. He eventually excelled academically and in athletics; credits his traditional upbringing to seek balance in life; underpinned by spirituality and family support. Achievements: • Ten Athlete of the Year Awards • Holds three University and five Honorary Doctorate degrees (Physical Education, Law) • Eight Sports Halls of Fame • University of Alberta Most Outstanding Indian Athlete in Canada (twice) • Major Sports: Hockey, Baseball, Swimming • Centennial medal - Top 100 in Hockey • Order of Sport as inductee to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame • Over seventy-five Championships • Twice honoured in Switzerland and Olympic Games Ambassador Home About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

Officials Gary Hull Inupiaq Danny McCourt Algonquin/Iroquois Brian Chrupalo Pine Creek Frist Nation 282 Michael Thomas St. Croix Ojibwe

< Back Lori McAuley ​ ​ ​ Lori McAuley Nehiyew iskwew Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Lori McAuley has generously given over fifty years to the sport of canoe/kayak in Saskatchewan. She has mentored and inspired hundreds, perhaps thousands to compete, coach and champion the sport, introducing Indigenous youth to kayaking and ensuring canoeing keeps its foothold as a traditional sport. Coming from a family of competitive paddlers, Lori was racing on the professional circuit by age 16. She also began her lifelong commitment of giving back, making an indelible impact on youth throughout Saskatchewan. Lori took on the work as the volunteer NAIG Games Head Coach and Coordinator for Saskatchewan beginning with the 2002 Games. She chaired committees, planned, and implemented athlete development programs, ran trials, managed, and coached teams for four sets of Games, plus the postponed 2020 Games. Lori ran the Canoe event at four Saskatchewan First Nations Games (SNFG). Her involvement was all encompassing, from setting racecourses to being the Chief Official. Lori also spearheaded Games programs for the Saskatoon Tribal Council. Lori’s commitment is highlighted by: • An historically successful team - Saskatchewan led the medal count in canoeing at every Games except 2017, winning 50 medals in 2014 alone. • Raising the bar with Games programs and competition by administering and coaching excellent programs and by keeping the needs of youth at the forefront. • Mentoring youth including a paddler went on to medal at Canada Games and national team selection. • Building a community network of volunteers, coaches, and managers, mentoring coaches to become certified. • Making her commitment a family contribution. Lori’s husband and children were heavily involved as volunteers with the SFNG and NAIG Games. • Her use of sport to positively impact youth. Her approach is holistic, exposing athletes to mental training, nutrition, and land training. She encourages excellence in sport, academics and everyday life, inspiring athletes to become role models in their community. Photo Credit: Lori McAuley with husband Dale McAuley at the 2017 North American Indigenous Games <Back

< Back Naomi Lang Strong ​ ​ ​ Naomi Lang Strong Karuk Tribe of Northern California Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Naomi Lang was a competitive ice dancer, and represented the United States in numerous competitions around the world. She has five U.S. national titles, and has competed at five world championships, in which she placed in the top 10 each time. She is a member of the 2002 Olympic team, and became the first Native American woman to compete at the Winter Olympics. Naomi continued to skate professionally and appeared in several U.S. ice shows, including many of the Disson skating shows televised on NBC and the Hallmark Channel. She also toured extensively in Europe and Russia performing in Art on Ice, Kings on Ice with Evgeni Plushenko and composer and violinist Edvin Marton, and the Katarina Witt Farewell Tour. They performed at Jim Carrey's private Christmas party in Hollywood. She is a member of the Karuk tribe of northern California, and has Wiyot and Shasta decency. She was born in Arcata, California. Additionally, Naomi was inducted into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. Naomi has been instructing figure skating for 18 years, and her goal in teaching figure skating is to inspire people, not only from her own experiences, but share everything she has discovered and learned along the way. Whether it be from her own amazing coaches or things she learned touring the world for figure skating, she wants to help make dreams come true, and strive to find the right path for everyone, and with the right balance of fun and hard work She believe dreams can come true. <Back

< Back Cheri Madsen ​ ​ ​ Cheri Madsen Omaha Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Cheri Madsen was born in Omaha, Nebraska and her hometown is Nebraska City, Nebraska. Madsen represented the United States as a four-time Paralympian (1996, 2000, 2016, and 2020) and ten-time Paralympic medalist (2 golds, 5 silvers, and 3 bronzes). She participated in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games earning silver (400-meter) and bronze (100-meter) places; the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Rio 2016, earning silver (400-meter) and fifth (100-meter) places; the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games earning gold (100-meter, 400-meter), silver (200-meter), and fourth (800-meter) places; the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games earning silver (100-meter, 200-meter) and bronze (400-meter, 800-meter) places; and the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games earning bronze (800-meter exhibition race) place. Madsen’s World Championship experience includes in 2019 bronze (100-meter) and fifth (400-meter) places. She participated in 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019. She earned seven medals including three silver and four bronze: Silver – 2017 (100-meter, 200-meter); 2015 (200-meter) Bronze – 2019 (100m), 2017 (400m), 2013 (200m, 400m) Bronze – 2019 (100-meter); 2017 (400-meter); 2013 (200-meter, 400-meter) Personal: Daughter of Mario and Mary Becerra...Mother to Reese and Malayna Madsen...Married Eric Madsen on June 2, 2001...Was left paralyzed by an unknown virus at age three...Began wheelchair racing in 1994 and qualified for her first Paralympic Games just two years later in Atlanta...First Native American female to win an Olympic exhibition bronze medal...Her 1996 Olympic and Paralympic pursuits were chronicled in a Nebraska Educational Television documentary entitled “The Cheri Becerra Story: God Made Her for This Sport”...Left racing for 13 years, returning to competition for the 2013 world championships in memory of her younger brother, Mario III, and their father, Mario Jr., who were killed in a car-train crash in 2007...Hobbies include scrapbooking, reading and watching her daughters compete in sports. <Back

< Back Ayanna O’Kimosh ​ ​ ​ Ayanna O’Kimosh Oneida/Menominee/Arikara Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Ayanna “Naenwehtawukiw-Warrior Woman” O’Kimosh is from Keshena, Wisconsin and she is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation and descendent of the Menominee and Arikara Nations. She is a freshman at the Shawano Community High School in Wisconsin. She began a journey in boxing in 2018 with the Menominee Indian Boxing Club. As an amateur boxer, she won two Junior Olympic State Championships, two Silver Gloves State Championships, is a Silver Gloves National Champion and is a 2x USA Boxing National Champion. In addition to her love of boxing, she spends a lot of her time training and playing softball for Impact Sports Academy’s in De Pere, Wisconsin. Living up to her Menominee name, she is a warrior spirit who represents resiliency in her tribal nations Oneida-Menominee-Arikara. Her platform inside and outside of the ring is to fight to bring attention and awareness to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and girls/people epidemic that plagues Native American communities throughout the United States and Canada. Her motivation in fighting is to demonstrate that resiliency by breaking down barriers and challenging the statistics, injustices, to change the narrative for future generations by being a positive role model for other native youth. She chose to focus her platform on awareness and supports prevention efforts fundraising to support much needed community resources aimed to reduce the risk for women and girls. Some notable awareness work includes local and national collaborative events with professional women boxers including local and international interviews, presentations, keynoting for 2021 Girls Summit and using her social media to spread the word. When she is not at the boxing gym training or at the softball complex training, she enjoys some of her other favorites such as reading, singing, playing the guitar, painting, baking, creating art and crocheting. <Back

Perry William Kelly <Back Metis Induction Category: Media/Athlete Year Inducted 2024 Over the past thirty-five-year period, Perry William Kelly has written literally hundreds of thousands of words on the subject of martial arts and combat sports. Kelly has been a feature writer for: Martial Arts Professional; Martial Arts Experts; Ultimate Grappling; and, Ultimate MMA, and is currently the Canadian and MMA Correspondent for MA Success magazine. During his lengthy career covering stories around the globe, he has interviewed multiple Olympic coaches and Gold Medalists, countless UFC champions and their trainers, World Kickboxing and Jiu-Jitsu Champions. He is one of the few MMA writers to have interviewed many of the CEOs of the world’s top MMA promotions, i.e. UFC, Bellator MMA, ONE Championship, Professional Fighters League and Combate Global. In addition, he has interviewed martial arts action film stars including the late David Carradine (Kill Bill) and Alain Moussi (Kickboxer). In 2017, Kelly won the World Police and Fire Fighter Games Karate Gold Medal - Over 50 Middleweight Division. The following year, he was dubbed “The Fighting Writer” by the Editor of Black Belt Magazine, the world’s oldest martial arts publication, when he won a Silver Medal at the famed Battle of Atlanta while taking on double duty by also reporting on the event. For over ten years, Kelly provided his master level knowledge of five martial arts while writing on law enforcement officer safety in articles featured in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Gazette. This work was featured in a book entitled The Thinking Officer's Guide to Police Defensive Tactics published with a forward by the former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, the Honourable Herb Gray and an introduction by former RCMP Commissioner and Interpol President Norman D. Inkster. Kelly’s other combative sports books include a biography of Bruce Lee’s protégé entitled Dan Inosanto: The Man, the Teacher, the Artist with a forward by the first martial artist elected to the NFL Hall of Fame Randy White and the biography ICEMAN: Kickboxing Legend Jean-Yves Theriault. Kelly is currently the Tribal Representative for the Metis Nation of Ontario for the Native American League of the U.S. Muay Thai Association.

< Back Phyllis Bomberry ​ ​ ​ Phyllis Bomberry Cayuga Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Phyllis Bomberry was a former Canadian softball player who was born in 1942 at the Six Nations of the Grand River in southwestern Ontario. She was a Cayuga woman of the Wolf Clan and emerged as a star athlete in the 1950s. She played women’s intermediate softball with the Ohsweken Mohawks and helped the team win back-to-back provincial Intermediate B championships in 1960 and 1961. After moving to Toronto to complete high school, she was quickly recruited to play catcher for the Carpetland Senior A Team in the Ontario Senior Women’s League. She helped the Carpetland team win Canadian Softball Championships in 1967 and 1968, and was named Top Batter, All-Star Catcher, and most valuable player (MVP) in 1967, and All-Star Catcher again in 1968. In 1968, Phyllis became the first female recipient of the Tom Longboat Award, established in 1951 to recognize outstanding Indigenous athletes in Canada. She won a gold medal at the first Canada Summer Games in 1969 and she was named the Canadian MVP and All Star Catcher. Phyllis Bomberry was posthumously inducted into 2023 Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in the Athlete category. <Back