Sports Stars of the Month

Will Jadis, 17 of Scotchfort, has pretty much played basketball ever since he could pick one up, said his parents Alfred Gallant and Angela Jadis. Since the time he was around seven or eight years old, Will, started shooting hoops with local teenagers. “He learned pretty quickly and it came quite natural to him,” said Mr Gallant. Now fast forward to his high school career where Will was and remains an integral part of the Morell Marlins success.

Performing at a High Level
By Larry Resnitzky

Dion Bernard is a member of the Abegweit First Nation and lives with his Mom, Barbra Bernard in Scotchfort, PEI. When I started looking into who Dion is for the sports star of the month, I looked at his facebook and in his bio he put, "I am a native warrior, I can dance, and play guitar, I like to try something new, I love the outdoors, nothing beats the great outdoors, kind of shy at times but when I come around you find that I am a pretty great guy." We agree so I went out to talk to his Mom and see what Dion has done in sports.

"I love the pressure - when the coaches push you to give it everything you've got" says Tyson Jesso. In his fourth year playing hockey, now in his second year “Peewee” with the Charlottetown Abbies Hockey Association, Tyson is shining as both a “defensemen” and as “forward”. " I play where they need me most, he says. While he's very proud of his six goals and many assists he also enjoys knowing when he's played strong defense. "Hockey is fun because you're part of a team, you're with your friends and you're having fun."

Misiksk Jadis is a Mi’maq, originally from Scotchfort, PEI. She is a member of the Abegweit Band. Her spiritual name is Wapek Kitpu(White Eagle). She is attending Tatsikiisaapo’p Middle School in Standoff, on the Blood Tribe Reserve in Alberta. She’s a grade 8 student, and has been on the Student Council for three years. For the 2007-2008 she was awarded the Greats Kids Award for Alberta. There were only 16 students who were selected from the province. She is on her second year playing for the Eagles basketball team.

Logen Lewis is the 12 year old son of Bob and Lynn Lewis. He loves playing alll sports as he learned that from his older sister Breanne. Logen is into hockey,judo,wrestling,badminton and guitar lessons. He works hard at both the sports and the hard school work at Hernewood. Logen likes to keep his culture by drumming every Tuesday night. Bob and Lynn are very proud of their boy and cheer him on at all the sporting events. Keep up the awesome job Logen and good luck in whatever sports you are playing. Way to go Logen for being the Kwimu Messenger January Sports Star of the Month!!

Shawn Francis is the eldest son of Chief Brian Francis and in 2009 he began Fran Train Athletic Sports Conditioning as a personal fitness trainer.

Shawn is a bright eyed and enthusiastic person with an innate desire to help others. He holds a Can-Fit-Pro certificate from Canada’s largest organization of fitness professionals, and is constantly studying the Internet and books for better ways to perform exercises at a high level of consistency.

Until recently, Julie never considered herself to be athletic or even very active for that matter. She was heading to her office one day and saw a poster for a fitness Bootcamp. She had only seen bootcamps on TV and heard friends in other provinces talk about how fantastic they are. But she was hesitant to even go to the first class because she felt she was so out of shape and wouldn’t be able to keep up with the rest of the class.

 All through elementary Jolyssa played sports whether it was on a school team or lunchtime intramurals she would try all different sports she was able to, joining track and field, cross country, softball, basketball, volleyball, rugby, synchronized skating, figure skating for two years and hockey. She also drummed with the Lone Wolf Singers and would dance in her regalia at the Pow wows held all over the Maritimes. 

Kindra Bernard is the Sports star of the month! Not only is she involved with her community, going to the Great Strides walk and community sweats, she is active in sports as well. She preserves her culture with dancing, first the jingle dress and now the fancy shawl dance. This year is she involved with Soccer this is her second year and loving it... Her team name is North Shore Sharks Under 14 Girls in Covehead. And the assistant coach is Trudy MacNeil. In her spare time you can find her staying active in all types of sports.