Lara Mussell Savage

Lara Mussell Savage is a two time world champion in Ultimate, earning a gold medal in both 2000 and 2004, as well as bronze medals in 1998 and 2008. Leading up 2010, Lara was a part of the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) as Project Manager for Aboriginal Sport and Youth, and helped run the Air Canada PGA Tour.[1] Adding to her resume, in 2015 Mussell Savage became an ambassador for viaSport’s Gender Equity #LevelTheField campaign promoting gender equity in sport[2][3] and became a Trustee for the British Columbia (BC) Sports Hall of Fame & Museum. Mussell Savage is also a member and elected Councillor of Skwah First Nation, and was awarded the Tom Longboat Award as Canada’s Female Aboriginal Athlete of the Year in 2005.[4]

Lara Mussell Savage at the 2004 World Ultimate Championships in Turku, Finland. August 7, 2004.

Lara Mussell Savage was raised on the Skwah First Nation territory in Chilliwack.[5][2] and completed her bachelor's degree (BKin - Sport Management) at the University of British Columbia and master's degree (MBA) at Simon Fraser University. Since her retirement from Ultimate in 2008, Lara has continued to be an active advocate for Indigenous sport.[2] Mussell Savage was inducted into the Chilliwack Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 for her achievements in and contribution to sport and is the first female and first Indigenous inductee.[6] Mussell Savage currently resides in Chilliwack, BC, on the Skwah Reserve, with her husband, Kirk Savage (also a World Champion Ultimate athlete and hall of famer), and their two children.[5][7]

Early life and education

Lara Mussell Savage was raised in the Skwah First Nation of Stόlō territory in Chilliwack, British Columbia.[8][5][2] As an amateur athlete she competed in several sports such as track & field, golf, basketball, curling, gymnastics, and Ultimate. Lara graduated from the University of British Columbia as a Wesbrook Scholar with a degree in Human Kinetics, Leisure & Sport Management (2001) and recently completed her MBA at Simon Fraser University (2019). Her father is Sxela':wtxw till, the late Chief Roy Mussell and her grandmother was the first female Chief of Skwah First Nation, elected in 1959. Her cousin, Kaila Mussell, was the first professional female saddle-bronc rider in North America.[9][3]

Career

Mussell Savage was first exposed to Ultimate in 1992, when she was in her senior year of high school. During university, Mussell Savage and her classmates entered a team in the Vancouver Ultimate League and later went on the play for the University of British Columbia varsity-club team. In 1997, Mussell Savage took the next step in her career by joining a national team that played in both American and Canadian tournaments. In 1998, her team went on to win the national club championship, earning the chance to represent Canada at the World Championship in Minnesota.[10] She went on to help Canada achieve a bronze medal in 1998, and a gold medal in 2000. As one of the national team captains, Mussell Savage lead the undefeated team to their second gold medal in 2004.[9] She went on to win a bronze medal once more in 2008.[1][2][10]

After her 2008 season Mussell Savage required neck surgery, which eventually ended her athletic career.[1] Since retirement she has been involved with the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver,[9] serving on the organizing committee (VANOC) as Project Manager for Aboriginal Sport and Youth.[1] Mussell Savage has helped run the Air Canada PGA TOUR Championship in British Columbia, and has also been employed by the University of British Columbia in their athletics department.[1] Since 2010, she has been a part of the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (ISPARC) and Chef de Mission for the Aboriginal Team BC[1] and has become an ambassador for ViaSport’s #LeveltheField campaign promoting gender equity in sport.[1][2] Mussell Savage currently sits on the board trustees for the BC Sports Hall of Fame[9] and was recently featured in the Women in Sport Spotlight, ViaSport BC’s monthly series featuring inspirational female athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, and leaders in British Columbia.[2]

References
  1. Welsh, Eric. "Lara Mussell a hall of famer on and off the field - Chilliwack News". Chilliwack Progress. Retrieved 2017-02-14.
  2. Laychak, Greg (2 Dec 2015). "Jock Scraps: Chilliwack sports news". Chilliwack Times.
  3. "#LEVELTHEFIELD Ambassador: Lara Mussell Savage". viaSport. Retrieved 2017-02-14.
  4. Welsh, Eric (21 Oct 2016). "Lara Mussell a hall of famer on and off the field". The Progress.
  5. "Our Team". ISPARC.
  6. "Hall of Fame reveals class of 2016 – Chilliwack Sports Hall of Fame". Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  7. "2017 Hall of Fame: Kirk Savage". Ultimate Canada. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
  8. "Lara Mussell Savage" (PDF). Motivate Canada.
  9. "Hall of Fame reveals class of 2016". Chilliwack Sports Hall of Fame. September 2, 2016. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  10. "Lara Mussell Savage". Chilliwack Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
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