VOYAGEUR RECEIVES PRESTIGEOUS NATIONAL AWARD

The 2025 soccer season was a memorable one for Stephen Moore – and not strictly because of what happened on the pitch. The second-year fullback helped the Portage College Voyageurs Men's Soccer squad post the best record in team history but that likely wasn't the highlight of his year, as exciting as that was. Late last summer, the Yellowknife resident was selected as one of two regional recipients of the Tom Longboat Award for the Northwest Territories for 2025. Moore was recognized for his outstanding contributions to soccer and was acknowledged during the National Indigenous Sports Gala in Ottawa October 25.

"I felt pretty honoured because I got recognized for something that was pretty big," said Moore, who received a plaque and medallion in addition to the all-expenses-paid trip to the nation's capital. "I didn't know much about it (initially). It was actually bigger than I thought because when I went to Ottawa there were two Olympians that also won the same award so that was pretty cool."

Established in 1951, the Tom Longboat Awards recognize Indigenous athletes for outstanding contributions to sport in Canada. Krista Hodder, Program and Events Senior Coordinator for the Aboriginal Sport Circle which manages the awards, noted that Moore was more than deserving of the spotlight.

"Your accomplishments this year have been nothing short of amazing, and you truly deserve this recognition," she wrote in an e-mail to the Kinesiology and Sports Studies student. "It is a testament to your hard work, passion, and dedication to soccer."

Moore, who's been playing the beautiful game since he was four years old, was impressed by the experience, enjoying his visit to Ottawa and the chance to meet other athletes from across the country. He had no idea he had been nominated for the award until he received Hodder's e-mail.

"Basically, my friend's sister was asking me what my e-mail was and stuff…so I kind of thought she was signing me up for something," he said. "But it turned out that I was actually nominated for the Tommy Longboat Award. That was great!"

His head coach was beaming with pride when he found out that Moore had received the prestigious award. Macky Singh noted the recognition not only shines a light on a special athlete and person but also on Portage's soccer program.

"It shows that we're doing the right things and we're bringing the right players in and they getting recognized nationally as well," he said. "I think that Stephen, being an Indigenous kid who's come here and really done well and then gotten recognized nationally is something that is only good for our program going forward. It's great for him as well as an acknowledgement of his commitment to the sport and being part of this program. It's massive."