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Joy SpearChief-Morris Category Athlete Tribe Blackfoot (Blood Kainai) Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 3/17/1994 Joy is an Indigenous Black Canadian writer, advocate, and athlete. She is a proud member of the Kainai Blood Tribe and grew up in Lethbridge, Alberta. Joy is a retired 100m hurdler in athletics, three-time Canadian National Championship finalist and two-time Team Canada member. As a member of Team Canada, she is a 2014 North American Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) U23 silver medalist and a fifth place finisher at the 2019 FISU World Universidad. She has sat on the AthletesCAN Board of Directors and Athletics Canada’s Athletes Council, and now sits on the AthletesCAN Diversity and Equity Advisory Committee. Joy has achieved several notable accolades. Most notably, she was the 2016 and 2017 OUA Female Track MVP, 2017 USports Student-Athlete Community Service Award winner, 2017 Tom Longboat Award winner and the featured cover athlete for the 2019 May/June issue of Canadian Running Magazine. Joy has a Bachelor’s degree in History and First Nations Studies and a Master’s degree in Political Science specializing in Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Reconstruction from Western University. Joy is now pursuing a career as a journalist, having bylines in The Globe and Mail and CBC Sports. She is currently in the Master of Journalism program at Carleton University. Home 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

< Back Amber Hill Amber Hill Upper Cayuga Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Amber Hill is a member of the Cayuga Nation, Turtle Clan, raised on the Tuscarora Reservation. Amber has played at all levels of lacrosse for women’s field including NCAA D1, professionally, and internationally, while also playing competitive women’s box lacrosse and winning gold medals in that discipline as well. Amber was selected to play on the First Nations Lacrosse that played in the 2005 International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations Cup of Nations Festival that was held in conjunction with the World Championship in Annapolis, Maryland. This experience fed into the first U-19 Haudenosaunee Nationals women’s team that would be allowed to compete on the international stage in 2007 in Peterborough, Ontario. In 2005, Amber walked on to the Syracuse University women’s team. In the Syracuse record books, Amber currently holds the second place for Most Season Saves at 193 and third place in Career Save Percentage at .511. She also led her team to the 2007 NCAA Quarterfinals, becoming the first indigenous woman to play in the NCAA tournament. In 2007, she led the Big East in saves with 10.16/game. She was named the 2007 Most Outstanding Player of the Big East Championship. She held the Big East Defensive Player of the Week, Athletic Directors Honor Roll, Big East Academic All-Star, and the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll accolades. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in Political Science minoring in Legal Studies and Native Studies. Amber was honored to serve as Captain for the Haudenosaunee Nationals in the 2007, 2009, 2013, and 2017 World Lacrosse World Championships, and most recently in 2019 for the Pan-American Lacrosse Association World Championship qualifier where the team went 4-0 and won a gold medal. In 2018, Amber became one of the first Haudenosaunee women, alongside her cousin Awehiyo Thomas, to compete professionally in the United Women’s Lacrosse League (UWLX) with the Long Island Sound. In 2021, Amber became the first indigenous woman to compete in the inaugural professional season of Athletes Unlimited. She placed fourth out of eight goalkeepers, and 26th out of 59 players with 1,145 points. She holds fifth place in the Athletes Unlimited record book for Most Saves in a game at 10. Amber has continued her career with Athletes Unlimited into 2022 as a Facilitator/Coach and accrued a 12-0 record in her first season. In box lacrosse, Amber won 3 gold medals as a Captain with the Six Nations Snipers in the Arena Lacrosse League in 2017, 2018, and 2022. She also won two gold medals in the Women’s Major Series Lacrosse League in 2015 with the Niagara Turtle Islanders, and again in 2016 with the Grand River Attack. Amber is currently a women’s collegiate field lacrosse official. She was appointed by World Lacrosse President Sue Redfern to sit on the World Lacrosse Women’s Box Lacrosse Working Group, charged with growing women’s box lacrosse on the international stage. Amber was recently appointed to the Africa Sticks Advisory Board through the Ouallo Kouya Foundation serving and empowering Africas youth through lacrosse. Amber is the Founder of Vicious Lacrosse, training goalkeepers while addressing the mental-health challenges surrounding the position. <Back

< Back Jim "Jake" Maloney Jim "Jake" Maloney Sipe’kneketik First Nation, Nova Scotia, Canada Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Jim “Jake” Maloney is a Karate Master Rank and 10th Degree Black Belt training uninterrupted for 55 years beginning in 1963. Jim is the first person in Canada to reach the rank of Black belt in Uechi Ryu Karate, in 1967, and in 1970 brought Uechi Ryu Karate to Canada. Jim grew up in Sipe’kneketik First Nation, Nova Scotia, Canada. At the young age of 16, Jim moved to Boston, Massachusetts and he soon found the Mattson Academy of Karate. The Academy was the founder of Uechi Ryu in the United States and when George Mattson took Jim in under his care, Jim found exactly what he was looking for. Jim studied alongside some of the most decorated competitors in the sport. Jim’s first instructor was Van Canna, one of the top tournament competitors in the Northeastern United States. Jim trained under George Mattson, when Mattson singled him out and provided special attention to his training. Jim began and quickly became, “one of the top kumite competitors”. Jim was an undefeated New England champion in free fighting and cement breaking competitions (1967 -1973). As an official representative to Okinawa, Japan for Canada in the Uechi Ryu Karate Association, Jim has trained more than 16,000 students internationally spanning over four decades, while developing and training hundreds of fighting champions on full contact basis. Jim Maloney has organized and operate the first independent, all Aboriginal training institute in Canada named the First Nation Tribal Justice Institute. The Institute is responsible for training hundreds of First Nation peoples across Canada. Jim Maloney is a living legend, having already been recognized, honored and inducted into the Mi’kmaq Sports Hall of Fame in 2016, the Canadian Black Belt Hall of Fame in 2018 and the East Hants Sport Hall of Fame in 2020. <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 Joseph Burton, Jr Joseph Burton, Jr Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Joseph Burton Jr. is a member of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, in which he was raised and currently resides on the reservation. Joseph began playing sports at four years old, coached and mentored by his mother, Grandfather Charles “B-Bop” Silvas, aunt, and uncles. As he grew older he singled in on playing basketball which he excelled in. He played at West Valley High School in Hemet, CA where he was four-time MVP, four-time All Sun Belt league champion, and CIF Champion 2008. He continued on to Oregon State University with a full ride basketball scholarship, known as the first Native American in OSU history to receive a basketball scholarship. In addition, he along with Coach Robinson introduced the N7 games to OSU basketball in honor of indigenous culture, moreover becoming an ambassador for Nike N7. At OSU he was acknowledged as the first non-guard to record 1000+ points, 700+ rebounds and 300+ assists. While at OSU he visited the White House and met President Barack Obama on various occasions. Upon graduating in 2013, Joseph continued his professional basketball career overseas starting in Denmark playing for Aalborg Vikings. In the last nine years Joseph has played professional basketball in the Netherlands, Japan, Finland, and France. While playing in the French LNB league he's competed at Pro A and Pro B level being awarded MVP in 2016 and runner up 2017. He currently plays in the French FFBB league for Orchies NM1 Basketball. Averaging 21.8 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, he is ultimately highly ranked with 30+ efficiency. <Back

Mark Burnam <Back Mohawk Induction Category: Year Inducted Coach 2022 Mark “Redman” Burnam is truly a rare, unique and influential individual in the sport of lacrosse. Burnam has touched many lives from among his community, his country and around the world by sharing his passion for competition, coaching, and storytelling. His early introduction to lacrosse as a Mohawk child started a life-long relationship that continues to this day as one of the true ambassadors of the sport. With a playing career punctuated by winning, he started by winning the 1980 NYS Lacrosse Championship earning MVP at Henninger High School. Burnam played at Syracuse University and in 1983 won a NCAA D 1 National Championship and in 1984 were Runners-up. Mark has decades of international experience both as a player and a coach. Burnam was a 5-X World team captain with the Iroquois Nationals and was a professional NLL player from 1987-1998 with NJ Saints, Buffalo Bandits winning two World Champions in 1992 and 1993 finishing up with Rochester and finally the Syracuse Smash. Burnam was the head coach at IMG Academy from 2016-19 and he currently is the head coach of the Iroquois Nationals U19 world team. Red has coached both as the head and assistant coach of Iroquois National teams for the past 12 years. Maybe his greatest impact is as a coach is where he continues to influence youth, adolescent, and professional athletes, teaching the meaning and value of the sport as a character-builder for all who choose to play and learn. Burnam’s notable and easily recognizable tough and relentless playing style is exceeded only by his enthusiasm, love, and infectious sense of humor with family, friends, colleagues, and those for whom he forever calls Team. Bio credit: Dan Witmer, quotes legends of lake placid bio

Leanne Sirup Category Athlete Tribe Inuit Year Inducted 2022 D.O.B. 6/20/1975 Being of Inuit descent, Leanne Sirup’s history in the sport of swimming spans more than three decades; starting as a swimmer, and then transferring her skills to coaching and mentoring. As an athlete, Leanne raced to the podium in numerous championships provincially and nationally as well as competing for Team Canada internationally. During this period, Leanne also set numerous provincial and national records predominantly in the 800m freestyle, the 200m butterfly, and the 400m individual medley. In addition to her decorated career, Sirup came out of retirement and competed at the 1997 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) where she raced to a total of 8 medals and the distinction of the British Columbia (BC) Premier’s Athlete of the Year. As a coach, Sirup has been the head coach of Team BC since 2004. Leading her provincial swimmers in every NAIG since, including a swim team overall victory in NAIG 2017, Leanne has been honored with the Provincial Coach of the Year (2008) and the National Coaching Award for Indigenous Excellence in Sport as presented by the Aboriginal Sport Circle and the Coaches Association of Canada partnership (2008, 2021). Ms Sirup has also been selected by Swimming Natation Canada as a Select Coach for their High Performance Development program. Leanne is keen on giving back to the Sport that has given so much to her. She is proud to serve as a National Coaching Certification Program’s Learning Facilitator since 2012, sharing her knowledge and experience to further the development the sport of swimming. Locally, Leanne continually endeavors to create opportunities for the youth to learn about the sport of swimming to open the pathway for success in any branch of Aquatics. To positively affect those around her, just as her coaches and mentors have done so generously for her. Photo: Carrie Matheson Home 2026 Banquet 2026 Banquet Sponsorship About Inductee Search Provincial Nominees Contact More

Wilton Littlechild Cree Induction Category: Year Inducted Builder 2022 <Back 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

Alfred Jacques Onondaga Induction Category: Year Inducted Builder 2024 <Back Alfred “Alfie” Jacques, the legendary Onondaga Nation and Turtle clan stickmaker handcrafted more than 80,000 wooden lacrosse sticks during his lifetime. His Onondaga name was Ganoñhsahgaeoñh. There are stories of Alfie and his dad Lou beginning the stickmaking making process and including the traditions in their work. A 1999 Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Famer, Jacques played junior, senior and professional lacrosse in the 1960s and 1970s. He played nearly every position in box and field lacrosse and was a goalie for the 1974 Syracuse Stingers during their one season in the National Lacrosse League. Jacques also coached and served as general manager for the Onondaga Red Hawks, leading them to a Presidents Cup championship in 2010. He was honored with the 15th Spirit of the Tewaaraton Award. His sticks are on exhibit at the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum at USA Lacrosse headquarters in Sparks, Maryland. Jacques also was enshrined by the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Upstate New York Chapter of USA Lacrosse, now the Upstate Lacrosse Foundation, into its hall of fame in 2014. Jacques was the coach and general manager for the Onondaga Redhawks and he led the team to three Presidents Cup championship appearances in addition to winning a championship in his final season in 2010 with a 13-1 record. Jacques has had several YouTube videos featuring him and his work. These are a few: Alf Jacques / The Stickmaker / US Lacrosse - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKb1rArGurA&t=16s and, How Native American Lacrosse Sticks are Carved From Hickory Wood / Still Standing / Insider Business - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_USWpG9xKUg Jacques died at the age of 74 on June 14, 2023. Note: 2023 NAIAHF inductee Barry Powless provided the artwork of Alfie Jacques. He said Alfie gave him a picture of his dad Lou when they visited and he included Lou in the artwork.

< Back Juwan Nuvayokva Juwan Nuvayokva Hopi Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2024 Juwan Nuvayokva, a member of the Hopi Tribe, has a storied career in the sports of Cross Country, Track and Field and Long Distance Running. He grew up in the Hopi Village of Oraivi located in Arizona. Oraivi dates back to 1150 A.D., with the claim of being the oldest, continuous, inhabitant village in the United States of America. Oraivi continues to have no running water and electricity. Juwan was able to solidify a career that comes from humble beginnings. Nuvayokva grew up running in traditional races. Falling in love with the sport of running in high school, he became a six-time Arizona State Champion in Cross Country and Track & Field. He ran one of the fastest times in the state of Arizona in Cross Country during his time, a 14:56, running under Coach Rick Baker at Hopi High School. Hopi has won 27 consecutive state team titles, a national record. He continued his running career at the NCAA Division 1 level at Northern Arizona University (1997-2002). Nuvayokva never looked back under Coach Mann’s guidance. As a Native American, he was one of the first athletes to be on four Cross Country Big Sky Championship Teams and four Big Sky Track & Field Championship Teams and he won the Big Sky 10,000 meter event in 2002. Nuvayokva is honored to share that he accomplished obtaining one of the highest achievements and honors in NCAA Division 1 collegiate running, becoming an NCAA Division 1 All-American. With this honor, he ran in four NCAA Cross Country Championships, in which NAU made the podium in 2001, finishing in fourth place. After college, he continued to run professionally for six years with a Saucony shoe contract. He competed in numerous races including the USA Half Marathon Championships. He also finished seventh overall in the 2012 Arizona Rock and Roll Marathon. He continues to serve as an assistant coach at his alma mater Hopi High School. <Back

< Back Autumn Apok Ridley Autumn Apok Ridley Inupiaq and Tlingit Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Autumn Apok Ridley is from Anchorage, Alaska. She is a descendant from Wales, Alaska. She currently holds three world records in the Traditional Indigenous Northern Games. Her records are the Alaskan High Kick at 83”, the Two-foot High Kick at 79”, and the Traditional One-foot High Kick (Alaskan style) at 74”. She also shares the Traditional One-foot High Kick record with two other women, Erica Carson and Carol Hull. Autumn first started participating in the traditional games at the age of 6. She was influenced by her Uncle Gregory Nothstine since he was heavily involved in the games. She broke her first world record in The Alaskan High Kick in 2012 at the Native Youth Olympics at 82”. Two years later she went on and broke her record by one inch in the Alaskan High Kick at the same competition. The next day she went and broke a 25 year old record formerly held by Nicole Johnston in the Two-foot High Kick by one inch. In July of 2014 she tied the world record in The Traditional One-foot High Kick with Erica Carson (Meckel) at the World Eskimo Indian Olympics. Autumn still practices and participates in the games for fun and coaches when she has time. Photo Credit: Wayde Carroll Photography <Back

< Back Kalley Armstrong Kalley Armstrong Algonquin (Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg) Induction Category: Year Inducted Athlete 2023 Kalley Armstrong is the granddaughter of Toronto Maple Leafs legend George Armstrong. Kalley played four years of NCAA Division 1 hockey with the Harvard University Women’s Hockey Team between 2010 and 2015. Kalley grew up idolizing the hockey careers of both her grandfather and her father. She played her junior hockey with the Toronto Aeros hockey club. In her final year as captain, the team won the Provincial Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) and the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) championships. She also competed that year at the National Women’s U18 Championships for Team Ontario. With the Harvard Crimson, Kalley was selected to the All-Ivy League Second Team and named the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Best Defensive Forward. In her senior year, she captained of one of the best teams in Harvard Women’s Hockey history. The Crimson captured the 2015 Ivy League Championship, the 2015 ECAC Season Championship, the 2015 ECAC Tournament Championship, and the 2015 Beanpot Championship. That year the team finished as the 2015 Frozen Four National Championship Runner-Up. In 2019, Kalley started her own hockey school, Armstrong Hockey, in honour of her grandfather’s legacy and accomplishments as a proud Indigenous athlete. Armstrong Hockey is dedicated to the development of Indigenous youth hockey and the mentorship of First Nations girls. Kalley is currently working on her PhD at Western University focussing on the experience of girls playing hockey in residential school. <Back