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< Back George Armstrong George Armstrong Algonquin (Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg) Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete/Coach 2023 George Armstrong is known as one of the first Indigenous trailblazers in the NHL. He played 21 seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs between 1949 and 1971 and captained the team to 4 Stanley Cup championships in 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1967. George played more seasons, more regular season games, and captained the Maple Leafs longer than any other player in the club’s history. He was called by Conn Smythe "the best captain, as a captain, the Leafs have ever had." Born in Bowlands Bay, Ontario, on the shores of Lake Wanapitei, George grew up in a small northern mining community. In the winters, he practiced his skating and hockey skills when lakes froze over, in the summers he enjoyed swimming and hunting in the bush. His mother, a strong Algonquin woman, raised George to be proud of his heritage. After his time with the Copper Cliff Jr. Redman, George played for the Stratford Kroehlers in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), where he won the Red Tilson Trophy as OHA’s Most Valuable Player and the Eddie Powers Trophy as the league’s Top Scorer in 1947-1948. In 1950, Armstrong won the Allan Cup with the Toronto Sr. Malboros. While visiting the Stoney Indian Reserve in Alberta during the Allan Cup finals, the band presented him with a headdress and gave him the name “Big Chief Shoot-the-Puck” in honour of his Indigenous heritage. The nickname “the Chief” stuck with him throughout the rest of his career. After his retirement in 1971, George coached the Toronto Marlboros to two Memorial Cup championships in 1972-1973 and 1974-1975. In 1975, George was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. His jersey was retired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2016. George ranks among the top all-time scorers in Maple Leafs history with 713 points in 1,188 regular season games. <Back

< Back Carey-Leigh Vyse Carey-Leigh Vyse Cayuga Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2025 Carey-Leigh Vyse is a member of the Cayuga Nation and the Deer Clan. She was born and raised on the Six Nations Reservation. She is a mother of three children, including Lyla-Shae, Lahnee-Leigh and Macqoy Vyse. She is married to Danny Vyse, who is an achieved lacrosse player. She is an elementary school teacher on her reservation. Vyse played softball on the infield for Team Canada from 2011-2017 including one year on the Jr. National team and six years on the Sr. National team. She studied, played and started as the third baseman at NCAA D1 Syracuse University. Vyse was on teams that were the Canadian National Champions in 2006, 2008, and 2011. She won the All-Star Short Stop Award at Canadian Nationals three times in the same years. Her Brantford Bobcats Team was inducted into the Ontario Softball Hall of Fame. Vyse competed in the 2012 World Championships held in Whitehorse, Yukon where they placed fourth. She took a year off in 2013 to have her daughter. She made a comeback the very next year, and became the first mother to be named to the Sr. Team. Her team placed fourth in the 2014 World Championships held in Netherlands, Amsterdam. In 2016 her team placed third at the World Championships held in Surrey, BC. She played six years total for the Canadian Women’s National Team and competed in three World Championships and one Pan American Qualifier. From 2016 to the present, she has competed in the Native Canadian Championships where she has played for Red Nation and in most recent years, has played for Six Nations E.C.M (Every Child Matters) and has won Native Canadian Championships with both teams. She won the All- Star Infield Award each year from 2016-2024. She has played in the All-Ontario’s Native Fast-pitch Championships as well since she was 16 where she and her Six Nations teams has earned championship titles. Vyse made the final roster for Team Haudenosaunee and earned a bronze medal at the first 2024 Women’s World Box Lacrosse Championships in Utica, NY. <Back

< Back James Nells James Nells Navajo Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 James Nells, born in Winslow, Arizona is full blood Navajo Nation tribal member. His mother was Dorothea (Jackson) Shirley, father was Edward Nells. He is Salt clan, born for under his cover clan, grandparents are Black streak in the wood (mother) and Red bottom (father). James has three sisters living on the Navajo reservation including Brenda, Sandra and Dixie. They grew up around the Cedar Springs, Seba Dalkai, White Cone area of Arizona. They finally moved to Church Rock, New Mexico and James attended Church Rock Elementary, Bountiful Junior High and South Bountiful Jr. High in Bountiful, Utah. He attended and graduated from Wingate High School, Fort Wingate, New Mexico in 1977. James attended Haskell Indian Junior College (1978-80), Lawrence, Kansas, and graduated from Central State University (1980-83), Edmond, Oklahoma with a Bachelor degree in Teaching Physical Education and Health with a coaching option. He participated in Cross Country, Wrestling and Track. In college he ran both cross country and track. He is a state high school champion in the two-mile run (1976) and state runner-up in cross country, track mile and two mile run several times. He is also a High School All-American in Track. In college he was a two time All-American in Indoor Track and held the cross country course record while attending Haskell in 24:47 for 8K. James served in the US Army from 1984-92, was second in command in his unit while in Desert Storm with the 2-16 Infantry Rangers, Fort Riley, KS and received a Bronze Star. James and his wife Daisy Elana (Pratt) Nells have been married 38 years and they have two daughters and five sons and 13 grandkids. Photo: James and Elana Nells in 2022 <Back

< Back Lindy Waters III Lindy Waters III Kiowa/Cherokee Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Lindy Waters III is a Native American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association. He was born in Boulder, Colorado to Lisa and Lindy Waters, Jr. At age four, Lindy, his parents and his three sisters, Leana, Loren and Lindsey, moved to Norman, Oklahoma where he attended school and played several sports, including basketball, baseball, and football. After graduating from high school, Lindy was offered multiple college basketball scholarships. He attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma where he started in over 100 games and finished his college basketball career with over 1,000 points, 250 assists and 100 steals. Lindy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management. He is a citizen of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma and the Cherokee Nation. In 2018, Lindy was named “Indian of the Year” by the American Indian Exposition, one of the nation’s oldest and largest intertribal celebrations. In 2022, he founded the Lindy Waters III Foundation whose mission is to enhance and support Native American youth and Indigenous communities through sports, health and wellness, and leadership programs. The foundation is committed to providing a platform for individual improvement, opportunity, exposure and access for all Native youth. Action shot photo credit: Getty Images Profile photo credit: Loren Waters, Waters Media <Back

< Back Harrison J. Funmaker Harrison J. Funmaker Ho-Chunk Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2025 Harrison Funmaker wanted to be a prize fighter since he was a little boy. His father Bob Funmaker Sr. was his first trainer. Funmaker had his first professional bout in the summer of 1989. He lost a six round split decision in the heavyweight division. His motivation was just beginning to be the best he could be. His next bout was against the same opponent in his debut and he knocked him out in the second round. Funmaker turned pro in Green Bay, WI. Matt Baulie was his trainer/manager in the beginning. Boxing took him around the world including Israel, twice to New Zealand, and to Canada. He fought in three world title fights. He became the World Indian Heavy Weight Champion at Mohican Casino in March of 2003. He was named the Mid-American Champion during the same fight. He was a sparring partner to Tony “TNT” Tubbs and Carlos “King” Molina, the IBF Super Welter Weight World Champion. Funmaker fought Eric “Butterbean” Esch three times and beat him during the third fight. He defeated him in Milwaukee at the US Cellular Arena in 2009. The fight is on YouTube with over 1.3 million views. He was on ESPN in 1990 and was also on ESPN Fight Classics. Fellow 2025 NAIAHF Inductee Lou Askinette trained Funmaker the last half of his career. Funmaker had a 23 year professional career and four decades as a fighter. He won 23 out of 41 fights. Funmaker hopes to inspire young fighters to follow their dreams. Fighting as a pro taught Funmaker many things but the main lesson was to be grateful. He had the opportunity to speak at six schools in the McKinley County School District on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico. He spoke about life as a prize fighter, what is was like to be on the road, in the ring and at home with his six kids. He wishes to share with all young native kids who have dreams they wish to follow, and let them know it can happen and it is all achievable. <Back

< Back Lara Mussell Savage Lara Mussell Savage Sqwá (Skwah) First Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Introduced to Ultimate in high school in Vancouver, BC, Mussell Savage's speed, agility, and disc-handling abilities quickly set her apart from her peers. She grew to become a prominent player in both the College and Club Ultimate scenes and is a two-time World Champion. Mussell Savage was a captain and player-coach for University of British Columbia's female Varsity Club team helping lead them to three consecutive Canadian University Ultimate Championship victories in 1998, 1999, and 2000. The team also won several U.S. tournaments and was the only Canadian team to hold a number one ranking in the U.S. college circuit. Mussell Savage was also a long-standing member of Prime, Vancouver's competitive club team, with whom she won three Canadian National Championships. Among her international achievements is as a member of Team Canada for four World Championships earning two gold and two bronze medals. She served as co-captain for the Turku 2004 World Ultimate Championships where Canada went undefeated. Mussell Savage was recognized as the 2004 National Tom Longboat Award winner for female Indigenous athlete of the year for Canada and BC's Indigenous athlete of the year in 2003 and 2004. In recognition of Prime's legacy and impact, the team was inducted into Canada's Ultimate Hall of Fame in the team category and is featured within the BC Sports Hall of Fame & Museum's exhibit "In Her Footsteps: Celebrating BC Women in Sport". Mussell Savage was inducted into the Chilliwack Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 and she is also a featured athlete in the BC Sports Hall of Fame's Indigenous Sport Gallery. Mussell Savage's leadership and dedication to sport made her not just a top athlete but also an inspirational figure. Her performance and influence go beyond her team; she works to advance Indigenous sport and she promotes inclusivity and gender equity. She also gives back to her community having served on her Nation's elected Council for nearly ten years and is the former Chief of her community - Sqwá First Nation. She resides on Sqwá Reserve with her husband Kirk Savage, Ultimate World Champion and Canada Hall of Fame inductee, and their two children. <Back

< Back Kenneth Strath Moore Kenneth Strath Moore Cree Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Kenneth Strath Moore is the first First Nation athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. A citizen of the Peepeekisis Cree Nation, he was born in Saskatchewan, Canada in 1910. Moore would excel at every sport he played, including hockey, baseball, lacrosse, rugby, basketball, speed skating and cycling, although he was most passionate about hockey. His athletic and academic abilities enabled him to win scholarships, and he attended Campion College and Regina College in the late 1920s at a time when almost no First Nations students attended universities and colleges. He captained hockey and rugby teams, played baseball and basketball, and was described as “the most versatile athlete in the College.” Moore became a Canadian Junior Hockey Champion in 1930, scoring the winning goal with 40 seconds left in the game to win the Memorial Cup. He won two Allan Cup National Hockey Championships, and in 1932 traveled to Lake Placid, New York, to represent his country and the Cree Nation at the Olympics. There he scored a goal in the game against Poland, won a gold medal, and made history. Today, Moore’s achievements would be exceptional. A century ago, his achievements are extraordinary. He represents excellence and what can happen when talent and heart triumph over poverty and prejudice. After Moore’s retirement from sport a Winnipeg newspaper noted “It is doubtful if any other athlete in Canada has a record that will stand up to that of Moore’s.” He gave back to the community by coaching three teams to championship titles and sitting on the board of the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association. In 1967 Moore’s Regina Pats hockey team was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, in 1976 his Kimberley Dynamiters team was inducted into the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame, and in 1987 the Winnipegs, his 1932 Olympic hockey team, was inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. Moore’s accomplishments were celebrated in 2018 in a hockey exhibit at the Manitoba Museum, and his achievements are on display at the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame. <Back

< Back Mariah Bahe Mariah Bahe Navajo Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Mariah Bahe is an accomplished amateur boxer with six national boxing titles including the 2016 Ringside World Tournament Championship, 2017 USA Jr. Olympic National Championship, 2018 Eastern Olympic Qualifier National Championship, 2018 Western Olympic Qualifier National Championship, 2019 Silver Gloves National Championship, and 2020 Silver Gloves National Championship. Bahe has competed in over 60 bouts in USA boxing with a 70% win record. She has also won over 15 Arizona State boxing championships, over 10 Regional titles, and four All Indian National titles. Bahe trains in a small gym called Damon-Bahe Boxing, with males as her sparing partners. She would travel 2.5 hours and more to spar with females her age and weight. Bahe qualified for the Arizona High School State Cross Country Championships placing in the top 20 all three years of high school. She also qualified in the Arizona High School State Track and Field Championships all three years. Bahe has been recognized in 2018 in the Arizona State House of Representatives for her accomplishments in the sport of boxing. She is featured in boxing documentaries and “Mariah: A Boxers Dream” is on the Olympic Channel and it has won two WEBBY awards. She was also in the 2019-2020 A Puma Campaign with four advertisement commercials. Bahe has spoken to schools on the topic of “Never Give Up and Anything is Possible.” She wants to show younger women and girls there is no limit on what they can accomplish no matter where they come from. Bahe enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and will continue to box in the military. <Back

Malcolm Blacksmith <Back Sioux Valley Dakota Nation Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2025 Malcolm Blacksmith has been a lacrosse coach for the past 25 years. He started his lacrosse coaching career in 2000 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. He started working with families in the north central area that were in low income status. He also worked with the Regina Sports Council getting equipment for the kids. Blacksmith started a novice team and called them Warriors Lacrosse. He worked on getting his coaching certificate for Level 2 box lacrosse, so he could coach at the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG). He was the coach of Team Saskatchewan for a number of years. In 2004 he and others started getting a lacrosse team to take to NAIG 2005 in Colorado, but didn't have enough time to get ready. They turned their box lacrosse team into a field lacrosse team instead and represented Saskatchewan at nationals that year in August. In 2008 he coached Team Saskatchewan at NAIG when it was held in Cowichan, British Columbia. In 2011 he started coaching midget and junior lacrosse for Sagkeeng First Nation about two hours north of Winnipeg. In 2012 he started coaching for Team Manitoba U16, and U19 lacrosse teams. In 2014 he took U16 and U19 lacrosse teams to Regina, Saskatchewan where NAIG 2014 was held. The team came home with the bronze medal for U16 team. In 2015 the Manitoba Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Council held its annual awards day and during the Night of Champions Awards Ceremony he received the Male Aboriginal Coach of the Year award. In 2017 he took Team Manitoba to Toronto NAIG 2017. In 2020 they were to go to Halifax, Nova Scotia for NAIG 2020 but Covid hit the world. The team attended NAIG 2023 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

< Back Patti Dillon Patti Dillon Mi'kmaq Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Patti Dillon was one of the most storied and accomplished runners of her era. Rising from complete obscurity to win the 1976 Ocean State Marathon, she quickly established herself as the best female runner in the Boston Area. By 1979, however, she was one of the most fearsome competitors in the United States. The next three years would see her finish runner up at the Boston Marathon three times in succession; finish behind Grete Waitz in the 1980 NYC Marathon becoming the first American woman to break 2:30; set multiple American and world records; and help to usher in professional running in the United States, often at great cost to herself. Along the way, Patti was signed by Nike as their first sponsored female runner and was pivotal in pushing for and accepting prize money in road races. In one glorious stretch, Patti entered 48 road races and won 44 of them. She set world records in the 20k, half-marathon and 30k and a world record in the women’s only marathon. Patti also won the Honolulu Marathon 4 times, winning in course record times with each successive race. After retiring in 1986, Patti married US Cross-country National Team standout Dan Dillon. They have two wonderful children, Aaron and Raven, and a growing pack of golden retrievers. Patti is now the Head Coach of the first professional Native American running team in US history with the intention of developing world class talent across Native Americans communities. Patti held the World Record for 5 miles, 20k, 13.1 miles, 30K twice, and 26.2 miles. American records included the 10k 6x, 15k 2x, and 10 miles. She broke the American Marathon record three times and held them all at the same time. <Back

Katie Taylor Category Athlete Tribe Lac Courte Oreilles Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 5/29/98 Katie Taylor is a member of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Ojibwe. She is a six-time All American and a National Champion. In high school, she competed in basketball and track for Hayward High School (WI). In 2014, she was the Wisconsin Division 2 State Runner-up in the shot put and discus. She graduated from college in 2021 with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, which focuses on three areas of study including Math, IT, and Indigenous Studies. Her future goals include becoming fluent in her native Ojibwe language and relearning cultural significances she has lost over the years. Katie is in her senior season at Minnesota State University – Mankato. In the 2021 Outdoor season, she was named First Team All-American in the discus throw after finishing fifth at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships while also competing in the shot put and finishing 14th. She earned all-conference honors in the shot put, hammer throw and discus throw, finishing fourth in all three events at the NSIC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She set career bests in the discus throw at 49.85m (163'6") and hammer throw at 55.54m (182'3") at the Maverick Classic. During the 2021 Indoor season, she earned the national championship in the weight throw, setting a school record with a throw of 21.17m (69'5.5") at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships. She earned first-team All-American honors in the shot put, finishing seventh at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships. She also earned all-conference honors in the shot put and weight throw, finishing fourth and second respectively at the NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships. During the 2020 Indoor season, she earned all-conference honors in the shot put and weight throw, finishing fourth in both events at the NSIC Indoor Track & Field Championships. In 2017, Katie was Indoor Shot Put NSIC Champion while attending Winona State University. She was the 2017 Indoor Weight Throw 3rd place at NSIC Championships, the Outdoor Shot Put 3rd place at NSIC Championships, the Outdoor Discus 3rd Place at NSIC Championships and 2017 Outdoor Shot Put 3rd Place at the NCAA Championships. Home 2025 Banquet 2025 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

< Back María Lorena Ramírez María Lorena Ramírez Rarámuri Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 María Lorena Ramírez won the 2017 Ultra Trail Cerro Rojo 50K in Puebla, Mexico in a time of 7:20 and not long after, she became the first Rarámuri woman to compete in a European ultra with her inaugural attempt at the Bluetrail, the second-highest race in Europe. She competes wearing huaraches, a form of sandals, and a long skirt and she has a truly fascinating story and was featured in the 2019 Netflix documentary Lorena, Light-Footed Woman. Photo/Bio Credit: Ultra X <Back