From Volunteer Coach to Torch-Passer: The ILSAcrew Legacy
From Volunteer Coach to Torch-Passer: The ILSAcrew Legacy
Hey friends, fellow shredders, hot sauce fans, execs, and Indigenous leaders - grab a quick read with your morning coffee. This is the story of how a simple volunteer gig snowballed into something way bigger than I ever dreamed.
It all started back when I joined the First Nations Snowboard Team (FNST) as a volunteer coach. Big shoutout to the awesome Aaron Marchant, who founded and ran the team with serious vision and heart - I’ve got nothing but respect for that man. Right around then, I met a rad new friend named Chelsie McCutcheon. We clicked instantly on the snow, sharing laughs, stoke, and that unbreakable Indigenous crew energy.
From there, I stepped up: volunteer coach → Whistler team manager → eventually Executive Director of what became the Indigenous Life Sport Academy (ILSAcrew). We kept the same dope model—Indigenous-run programs, by Indigenous people, for Indigenous youth. At our peak, we were serving over 400 youth each year. Full-season passes, coaching, mentorship, gear, and training—all free. The only “catch”? Stay in good standing at school and in the community. Simple, effective, life-changing.
But we got smart. Competitive snowboarding was expensive and only lifted a few kids high. The next generation needed more access, not podium pressure. So we evolved: dropped the heavy comp focus, flipped the funding approach, and launched “life sports” like climbing, skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and cross-country skiing. Same Indigenous-led spirit, now reaching way more young people in foster care and beyond.
Fast-forward to today: a new wave of fired-up youth stepped up with their own visions. We proudly passed the torch. All ILSA programs dissolved in 2024, and those same young leaders launched fresh nonprofits—like the WISH Society (World Indigenous Sport and Health Society). We’re still in the mix, cheering on and supporting programs like NATIONS Skate Youth and Cousins Skateboarding. The future looks strong, creative, and fully Indigenous-driven.
This journey—from volunteer to ED, from comp team to broad-access life sports, to handing over the reins—has been the ride of a lifetime. It’s proof that when Indigenous people lead for our own, real impact happens.
Grateful for every youth we lifted, every partner who believed, and every friend like Chelsie who made the early days unforgettable. Here’s to the next chapter—doors are open for more collaborations, speaking gigs, training sessions, and ways to keep the stoke alive.
Got a project where culture, sports, and impact meet? Let’s talk. - Court "Blackbird" Larabee
