Jake Finney is a Community Program Leader with Spirit North in Edmonton and Athabasca, Alberta, in Treaty 6. Jake grew up in Fort Chipewyan and Athabasca in Treaty 8 and is a member of the Athabasca Fort Chipewyan First Nation. He has been with Spirit North for 4.5 years and the programs Jake leads are inspired by culture and the freedom connected to being active. He plays traditional games with groups tying culture with sport and play.

Spirit North is a national charitable organization that uses land-based activities to improve the health and well-being of Indigenous youth, empowering them to become unstoppable in sport, school and life. Through the transformative power of sport and play, their participants learn important lessons, discover untold potential and build the confidence and courage needed to overcome the hardships Indigenous youth often face.

Links:

Spirit North: https://www.spiritnorthxc.ca/

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The Future of Sport in Canada Commission released its preliminary report on August 28th 2025. With 71 recommendations, it is the most comprehensive review of the Canadian sport system that I have ever seen. In this episode, I share some of my thoughts and reactions on the preliminary report and recommendations.

Future of Sport in Canada Commission Preliminary Report: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/future-sport/about.html

Canadian Sport Policy 2025-2035: https://csp.sirc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Canadian-Sport-Policy-2025-2035-EN-FINAL.pdf

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Please subscribe to the Sports for Social Impact Podcast wherever you get your podcast! Leave us a review and a 5 star rating to help bring others in the world of sports into the conversation! The Sports for Social Impact podcast was nominated for a Sports Podcast Award and Canadian Podcast Award.

Send us an email at ⁠⁠sportsforsocialimpact@gmail.com⁠⁠

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/sportsforsocialimpact⁠⁠

Linkedin: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sports-for-social-impact⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram (@SportsSocImpact)

Follow us on Substack: ⁠https://substack.com/@sportssocimpact⁠

Visit our website at ⁠https://www.sportsforsocialimpact.com/⁠

This project started with a simple idea: what if fantasy football told the full story? Not just rushing yards and touchdowns, but backpacks donated, meals served, scholarships awarded, and lives changed. Now, with the Fantasy Football Draft Guide for Good, fans can see the causes players support off the field—right alongside their on-field stats.

Built for both casual fans and die-hard fantasy veterans, the guide lets you sort players by position and by cause. Whether you care about youth development, mental health, hunger relief, or military and veteran support, you’ll find players who share your values.

The Fantasy Football for Good: Draft Guide was created by Joe Flynn as part of the George Washington University Sports Philanthropy Executive Certificate Program.

Joe Flynn is a sports storyteller and nonprofit strategist focused on highlighting the human under the helmet. With over 3.5 million views across social media, he’s built a platform dedicated to showcasing the off-the-field impact of athletes and the causes they support. Joe has helped raise more than $1 million for nonprofits and social impact organizations and is currently enrolled in George Washington University’s Sport Philanthropy certificate program.
Joe believes that sports can build global bridges when fans shift their mindset from “What can this player do for my team?” to “What can this player do for my community?”

Links:

Fantasy Football for Good Draft Guide: https://www.fantasyfootballforgood.com/

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Please subscribe to the Sports for Social Impact Podcast wherever you get your podcast! Leave us a review and a 5 star rating to help bring others in the world of sports into the conversation! The Sports for Social Impact podcast was nominated for a Sports Podcast Award and Canadian Podcast Award.

Send us an email at ⁠⁠sportsforsocialimpact@gmail.com⁠⁠

Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/sportsforsocialimpact⁠⁠

Linkedin: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sports-for-social-impact⁠⁠

Follow us on Instagram (@SportsSocImpact)

Follow us on Substack: ⁠https://substack.com/@sportssocimpact⁠

Visit our website at ⁠https://www.sportsforsocialimpact.com/⁠