The winter Invictus Games’ winning bid built upon some of the learnings from 2022’s first-ever Indigenous-led bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics, which cemented the importance of prioritizing the role Indigenous leaders play in planning and co-hosting sporting events in BC. The 2025 Invictus Games highlight the shared journey of recovery through sport, notes McVicker. Indigenous leaders were an integral part of the Invictus bid, ensuring the Games would be developed and delivered with the support and at the welcome of the four Indigenous communities where the Games will be played, she adds. Chief Wilson Williams, spokesperson for the Squamish Nation, joined the bid team in England. When the selection group from the Invictus Games Foundation arrived in Vancouver on their decision-making trip, they were greeted by the chief of Musqueam, his family and other sport- loving Musqueam band members, recalls McVicker. “From the moment they met, everything was authentic. One of the amazing advisors from the Musqueam community held a dinner in her home for the bid committee to explain how Musqueam wants to be involved and what it means to the Indigenous communities. That helped set the tone,” she says. The four chiefs sit on the organizing committee’s board and a representative from one of the Nations ensures that decisions being made reflect their input, she adds. “One of the advisors we worked with pre-bid, Johnna Sparrow from Connect Sports and Entertainment, told us, ‘This is not about reconciliation. It’s about reconciliaction: What we’re doing is actually changing things,’” says McVicker. A FUTURE-FOCUSED LEGACY In addition to the economic driver of 18,000 room nights to house the athletes and their families, the Games team intends to leave behind more than memories, says McVicker. First, there will be better access for anyone wanting to participate in winter sports. “We’re working with Whistler Blackcomb/Vail Resorts—who are committed to advancing accessible winter sports—and the Rick Hansen Foundation, who are doing a full assessment and gap analysis of our venues to showcase how each can improve their accessibility,” she explains. “These are going to be lasting legacy items, whether it’s [changing] a door handle to investing in paved viewing areas for people in wheelchairs.” Providing more sports equipment is also part of the plan. “While they’re training for Invictus, [veterans] have access to adaptive equipment, but there’s not a lot of it to go around, so through our partnership with British Columbia, they’ve made grants to local sport organizations for adaptive equipment that then will stay with those organizations,” she says. EXTENDING IMPACTS BEYOND THE GAMES Nick Booth, CEO of the True Patriot Love Foundation, says the focus is not only on delivering the best-ever Invictus Games but also extending the impact on the military and veteran community beyond February. “This legacy will include the first inclusion of winter sports, veteran hiring, mental health support to families, a deep commitment to First Nations reconciliation and ensuring the 2025 Invictus Games are the most sustainable in history through the development of a social and environment measurement framework that all future Games will be able to access,” says Booth. “Beyond the Games, TPL is committed to ensuring year-round adaptive sports programming is accessible to veterans—not only in British Columbia, but across Canada and internationally in other Invictus nations.” True Patriot Love is conducting research on the impact of winter sports on post-service recovery for the military community, which will help guide future funding and programming decisions, he adds. Typically, sporting events will have a transfer of knowledge. However, Invictus didn’t have systems in place for registration, volunteer management, timing and scoring results that could be used from Games to Games, explains McVicker, whose team is creating “Games in a Box” for future Invictus organizers. A WINNING COMBINATION McVicker notes the mix of seasoned and new team members has invigorated behind-the-scenes operations. “Between 40% and 50% of our team has multi-games experience; they’re teaching and training new-to-the- industry individuals who get to learn from some of the best to build into their skillset, education and knowledge,” she explains. “A handful of people coming directly from 2010 are involved in several venues, communications, transportation and logistics, and adaptive sport. It’s a beautiful group.” INVICTUS GAMES 2025 “The Invictus Games are an opportunity for us all to become family through the healing power of sport. Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw is thrilled to host the first winter Invictus Games alongside the Musqueam, Tsleil- Waututh and Líl̓wat Nations. The Games will showcase our territories and amplify our history and culture on the world stage. We honestly can’t wait until February 2025!” —Sxwíxwtn-Wilson Williams , Spokesperson and Councillor, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) 22 ADRENALIN | FALL 2024 ADRENALINMAG.CA
