By Tom Peters, freelance writer
Sport can provide an international venue to draw people together not only for the competitive aspect but also to provide a platform to exchange ideas, culture and build new and lasting relationships.
Such was the case for seven Nova Scotians—four coaches and three athletes—to draw from a multi-day, international event, the 2025 All Nations Volleyball Showcase in Edmonton in late July.
It was the second international showcase, with the inaugural All Nations Indigenous Volleyball Showcase held in July 2024 at York University in Toronto.
This year’s event, which brought together four All Nations Canada teams, formed through collaboration with provinces, and two teams from New Zealand AMP (Aotearoa Māori Poirewa) Volleyball, combined competition and cultural exchange. A core component of the tournament was fostering cultural connection and mutual understanding, helping to strengthen bonds between Indigenous communities from the two countries.
Nova Scotia’s contingent was comprised of Shayla Gloade, a coach with Cougars VC, mentee in the Black and Indigenous mentorship program and the Women and Gender Equity in Coaching program and recently approved as a VIP coach who also organized the Mi’kma’ki Indigenous girls’ volleyball camp in Millbrook, near Truro; Shaniya Vance, a mentor in She Can Coach and the Black and Indigenous programs, and coach with Volleyball Cape Breton; Maddison Hann, a recent graduate of the Team NS Equity Diversity Inclusion and Accessibility apprenticeship program who played for the Saint Mary’s Huskies and is transitioning into coaching; and Ariah Gould, a mentee in She Can Coach and the Black and Indigenous mentorship program and coach with Volleyball Cape Breton.
Volleyball Nova Scotia and Support4Sport provided some funding to these Indigenous coaches who have taken part in mentorship programming to help sustain and support their continued coaching involvement and development.
The athletes included Jabari Benjamin, 19, of Lower Sackville, who played for Dal AC men’s team; Sophie Grund, 17, of Truro, who played for the hometown Cougars; and Jadyn Hanson, 17, of Albert Bridge, Cape Breton, who played with Volleyball Cape Breton.
In reflecting on the experience, Hanson said: “This was such an incredible experience that I was able to be a part of. I met so many amazing and talented athletes, who all share the same passion for the sport. Not only was this a volleyball tournament but it was also a cultural exchange and represented unity, as we played against Māori players from New Zealand.
“Being able to share our First Nation culture and experience their culture by witnessing all the athletes perform a Haka (a ceremonial performance that displays a tribe’s pride, strength and unity) was so deeply moving. This, along with winning gold in the tournament and also making so many new friends is something I’m so endlessly grateful for and will be forever in my memory.”
The personal impression of the event was obvious in Shayla Gloade’s comments: “Coaching at the All-Nations tournament was an experience I’ll never forget. Beyond the strong and powerful competition, what stood out most was the deep cultural connection between Indigenous Canadians and the Māori people. Our shared thoughts, stories and values created a sense of unity that rose above the game itself.”
