An Olympic snowboarder in halfpipe and Canada Games alum, Liam Gill (2019, AB) might be making his biggest impact outside of competition.

Liam & Friends is a not-for-profit initiative, in which snowboarding is made more accessible to Indigenous youth from rural communities in Alberta and the Northwest Territories. For the last couple years, it has culminated in a trip to Sunshine Village, with all financial barriers eliminated.

“Snowboarding means so much to me, and it’s been such a privilege for me to have, so for me to be in a position where I can share it with a bunch of Indigenous youth, I’m honoured to be able to do that,” he said. “And I will continue, and I want to do more, and more, and more.”

The idea for Liam & Friends was sparked a week after he competed in Beijing in 2022 as the only male Indigenous athlete on Team Canada. Gill visited the Northwest Territories to meet Indigenous youth, help coach them on the slopes, and be a role model.

The initiative has already gained significant momentum since then, after Liam received the Canadian Olympic Committee’s OLY Canada Legacy Grant the last two years. With funding from the Grant and the generosity of several of Liam’s sponsors, the first trip of six youth from northern communities to Sunshine in year one more than doubled to 13 in year two.

“Training and competing, you’re in the spotlight - it burns you out pretty quickly,” Gill said. “By the end of the season, when I get to hang out with these kids and be able to give back, it’s very fulfilling.”

Gill’s snowboarding journey also took him through the well-known peaks located in Banff National Park. Leading up to the Red Deer 2019 Canada Games, the Team Alberta selection camp took place at Sunshine.

Self-described as a slopestyle athlete growing up, the Canada Games opened up new opportunities, even though he had been snowboarding since he was four years old.

“Halfpipe was not my thing - I never got to ride it, because it’s hard to get access to,” he said. “The only time I got to ride it was during contests. So at [the Canada Games], I learned how to do 7s in practice - and actually, during my run, I did a trick I’d never done before. I was learning tricks as I was competing.”

After leaving the Canada Games with a gold medal in halfpipe, Gill started to pursue the discipline, ultimately making the Olympic roster for 2022 at just 18 years old.

For the youth that he mentors, and anyone training for upcoming editions of the Canada Games, Gill has simple yet profound advice.

“Don’t get lost in the outcome. Work on today, and then tomorrow, work on tomorrow.

I want to make Finals and maybe get a medal at the next Olympics, but I’m not going to think that way at this point. Today, I’m just going to go to the gym to work out, and then tomorrow, I’m going to go to the gym to work out. Day by day! I don’t get too caught up in the end goal.”