08/04/2026
Huge Congratulations to Lily Simard. Here is the Yukon New Article.
A Vuntut Gwitchin teen residing in Saskatoon has become the first female youth from her nation to reach the international level in karate, carrying her community with her as she competes for Team Canada.
Kim Blake, her aunty, said 14-year-old Lily Simard’s journey is rooted in the Vuntut Gwitchin community, noting her family ties to Old Crow through great-great-grandparents Charlie Peter and F***y Charlie.
Blake described Simard as a role model at her Saskatoon dojo, where other athletes look up to her.
Simard moved from Whitehorse to Saskatoon at age seven, beginning karate shortly after arriving. She said she was drawn to the sport’s discipline, structure and the example set by older black belts, which pushed her to keep training. She now holds a ”shodan-ho” junior black belt and is already starting to test toward a full black belt, which she can earn once she turns 16.
Her path to Team Canada began with smaller tournaments and national qualifiers. Simard said athletes must place in the top four at nationals to be eligible for the youth league team. She reached fourth in her second year, earning her first international trip to Italy last December.
Simard’s next challenge comes in August, when she will travel to Costa Rica for the Pan American championships. She said the event draws athletes from around the world and described the scale as intimidating but motivating. Training involves five sessions a week, balanced with tutoring and schoolwork.
“It’s kind of like the Karate World Cup,” Simard said.
Simard said she has faced roughly 50 competitors across tournaments and has yet to meet another Yukon athlete at nationals. She noted that the Yukon and Northwest Territories teams do not typically attend, though she has seen Yukon competitors at Canada Winter Games events.
Blake said Simard’s accomplishments have brought pride to relatives across the Yukon. She added that recognition matters, especially for youth from small northern communities who rarely see themselves represented at elite levels.
Simard said she hopes to continue competing and eventually earn her coaching licence, aiming to support younger athletes the way others supported her. She said karate has taught her discipline, confidence and connection.
“I would like to work with the Yukon karate classes, eventually at some point in time,” Simard said.
Contact Jake Howarth at [email protected]
