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Amy Wilson Recognized with National Indigenous Coaching Award

By Ontario Volleyball Association, 11/29/24, 8:00PM EST

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courtesy Aboriginal Sport Circle


The Ontario Volleyball Association (OVA) is proud to announce Amy Wilson as the 2024 recipient of the National Indigenous Coaching Award presented by the Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC).

Each year the ASC presents the "National Coaching Award for Indigenous Excellence in Sport" to one woman and one man identifying Indigenous coach who demonstrates exemplary integrity in their approach to coaching.

Amy Wilson is an exceptional representative of the First Nations community with a long history of leading and assisting development programs within her community and among OVA members.

An Anishinaabekwe from Rainy River First Nations, most of Amy’s coaching career has been centred in the province’s Northwest, a section of Ontario which is sparse for volleyball opportunities when compared to the other five regions. Amy co-founded two volleyball clubs in Fort-Frances and implemented the Spikes FUN-damental camps at her clubs where her players learned the importance of communication, safety, leadership skills, respect and good sportsmanship.

As coach of St. Francis Elementary School and Fort Frances High School from 2006 to 2017, Amy took the reigns for multiple boys’ and girls’ teams from grades seven through twelve. Her tenure at Fort Frances was highly decorated helping guide the teams to 7 NorWOSSA High School Championships (two gold and five silver medal finishes).

In 2016, Amy took the role of Head Coach for the Treaty #3 Titans 18U team. This team would provide an opportunity for Indigenous youth from all over the province’s Treaty #3 to participate in the Ontario Native Volleyball Invitational in Sault Ste. Marie.

In 2017, Amy moved to Milton to work with Mountain Volleyball Club and Pakmen. Keeping true to her roots and advocacy for Indigenous and volleyball development in the Northwest, she connected her teams with the Northern Ontario 807 Select Volleyball Club and created a mentorship program. The program involved the Pakmen girls mentoring the 807 girls who were new to the sport and did not have the same access to training and competition due to location.

Wilson was head coach of the Aboriginal Team Ontario women’s team for the North American Indigenous Games in 2017 and 2022.

In OVA programming, Amy has been a coach at multiple different levels of OVA’s Athlete Development and High-Performance Programs for close to a decade and is currently an Assistant Coach for the 2025 Canada Games Girls Team.

At the National level she led Team Canada Junior Women’s National Team at the 2023 NORCECA Continental Championships, winning a bronze medal and qualifying for the 2024 FIVB Worlds in Lima, Peru. 

A recipient of the 2023 Coaches Association of Ontario's Coaches Award of Excellence and the OVA's Sandy Silver Female Coach of the Year Award Winner in 2021, Wilson has repeatedly been recognized as one of the upper echelon coaches in our province.

It is our privilege to benefit from her presence in OVA programs and we are pleased for such a deserving recipient of this award.

Congratulations Amy Wilson!


Letter from Amy Wilson

"Winning the 2024 Indigenous National Coaching Award is an incredible honour, not only as a personal achievement but as a reflection of the dedication to uplifting and empowering Indigenous communities through sport. This recognition highlights the impact that is happening in shaping future leaders, fostering talent, and creating spaces of belonging, resilience, and strength.

For me, it represents the hard work, passion, and commitment that is being put into our First Nation communities, ensuring that the next generation has the guidance, inspiration, and support they need to succeed. It’s about more than just coaching—it’s about nurturing cultural pride, instilling values of teamwork and respect, and showing our young people that they, too, can reach for greatness.

Recognition systems like the Indigenous National Coaching Award are vital because they celebrate the contributions of Indigenous leaders who often go unacknowledged in mainstream spaces. They help to challenge stereotypes, highlight the importance of cultural representation in leadership roles, and encourage more Indigenous youth to pursue coaching and mentorship roles within their own communities.

This award also helps raise the visibility of Indigenous role models who make a difference, not only on the field, court, rink, and pool but in their communities, offering hope and inspiration for what is possible when we invest in each other and celebrate our unique cultural heritage.

I reaffirm my commitment to advocate for Indigenous youth, ensuring they have equal opportunities to excel in athletics and beyond. Together, we can break down barriers and create a more inclusive environment where every young athlete can thrive.

Thank you again for this amazing recognition. I am deeply humbled, and I will keep working for the betterment of our youth, especially Indigenous youth, everywhere."

- Amy Wilson


About the Aboriginal Sport Circle

The ASC is committed to developing sport that fosters the development of the whole individual. In addition to their coach achievements, recipients will have demonstrated a personal commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and fair play, as well as to being a positive role model. They will also have demonstrated a commitment towards living a holistic lifestyle - one that develops their physical, mental, cultural and spiritual capacities.

For more information about the ASC, please visit their website.