A local teen recently helped Team B.C. capture a silver medal in volleyball at the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) playing with BC U16 Women’s team in Toronto, Ontario.

These games occur between the US and Canada every four years and represent the Indigenous people of Canada and US (First Nations, Metis and Inuit). This year in Toronto, over 5,000 athletes competed.

Participation in the tourney marked a steady march getting there.

Dryden Gris tried out for this team in Vancouver, August 2016 and made the first cut then travelled to Kelowna in March for the final selection camp, her mother Anna Gris noted.

The team was composed of 12 young ladies from all over B.C.  Dryden represented the East and West Kootenay, Cranbrook/Fernie and the M’Chigeeng Band.

The team played nine games and won seven.  They played New York, Manitoba, Ontario, Nunavut, Eastern Door & The North, Manitoba, and Alberta.

The team met Alberta in the finals. B.C. gave a big fight and won two of the five matches, with Alberta taking the final fifth set.

Team B.C. came home with a silver medal.  Dryden plays for Mount Baker Secondary School and East Kootenay Volleyball Club U18’s and will be going into Grade 12 this year.

Submitted

Article Share