In January, Kendra Jessie Rosychuk attended her first National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I women’s hockey game in New Hampshire – but not as a team member. “I never made it to the NCAA as a player, but watching a player I coached make it there was a special moment,” she says in a TikTok post. “This is why I’m always trying to be the person that younger me needed in sports.” As a hockey coach, trainer, dancer, ambassador for Nike’s N7 Indigenous athletics program, content creator and public speaker, the multi-hyphenate High Prairie native channels this sentiment into everything she does. For Rosychuk, a mixed Indigenous woman with Cree, Métis and Ukrainian roots, movement is culture. Her belief in the community-building power of sport is what keeps her on the move, and serves as the inspiration behind Sport for Spirit, a non-profit organization founded to empower Indigenous youth through wellness and recreation.

enRoute It’s hard to keep up with you, especially with your new role as a board member for the 2027 North American Indigenous Games. How often do you travel for work?

Kendra Jessie Rosychuk I like to say I wear many hats. Over the past few years, I’ve been on the road more and more. I don’t think I’ve been home for longer than a week since March. In May, I was home only for eight days total. I get asked to speak at different youth conferences, schools and events in Indigenous communities. I travel a lot for hockey tournaments as well.

I’m really grateful to have opportunities to travel to different territories, especially when I’m being invited to another Indigenous community. It’s such an honour and a privilege. I always try to give thanks to the original caretakers of whatever land or territory I’m on and honour them by being a good guest.

ER What motivated you to join Aeroplan?

KJR I joined about two years ago when I started travelling more. It was actually Michael Linklater, an Indigenous entrepreneur and former professional basketball player, who convinced me to join. We were both speaking at the same event and had the chance to talk about work. He’s a lot more experienced and knowledgeable than me, so he was acting as a bit of a mentor and sharing tips and advice. It’s nice to have people like him in the community who want to see you do well and be successful.

We’ve crossed paths many times over the years through sports and common interests. He was a coach at the 2023 North American Indigenous Games for Team Saskatchewan in basketball and I was a mission staff member. We were also both featured in a recent Toronto Raptors campaign created in recognition of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Action 87.

ER Have you shared his advice and recommended Aeroplan to anyone else?

KJR Definitely. I try to pass down the knowledge that I’ve been given. Sharing is so central to Indigenous culture. We don’t keep things to ourselves or gatekeep: We always try to share our gifts.

ER What’s one Aeroplan tip you wish you knew sooner?

KJR I wish I had known about the Aeroplan eStore sooner. It’s crazy that you can earn points on things you need and use every day, like an Apple laptop. Also, the fact that you can connect your account to Uber and Uber Eats to earn points is another tip I wish I had known sooner.

ER Why does Aeroplan work for you?

KJR I like being able to benefit from something that I’m already doing. It’s just a no-brainer. I’m already spending that money, so I might as well be earning points and benefits from it. It just makes sense to me.

ER What are you currently saving Aeroplan points for?

KJR I’m going to be turning 30 this year, and one of my big goals is to leave the continent. I’ve never travelled outside of North America, so I want to do some international travel. I’m not sure where yet, but Europe is one region on my mind, especially since there are so many direct flights from Canada. Once you get there, it’s so easy to take the train or other short flights to get around. I also would love to travel to New Zealand at some point.

ER Tell us about a memorable recent trip.

KJR In March, I went to the Yukon Native Hockey Tournament in Whitehorse for the first time. When I was younger, my father would go every year – but back then, they didn’t have youth or women’s divisions, so I never went with him. Last year, when they created a women’s division, playing in the tournament went to the top of my bucket list. I knew I had to make it happen.

It was such a beautiful experience. The whole community (and many people from surrounding communities) takes pride in the tournament. The arena was always packed, and everyone was so happy to be there. In Alberta, or in places with a much bigger population, I find we take things like that for granted. In Whitehorse, it felt like people were there from morning to night.

Normally, I like to play on teams where I know someone, but in this case, I had not met any of the players on my team prior to the trip. Luckily, a family friend was able to connect me with a team I could join and we got along so well. We won the tournament, too. I made so many memories and met so many great people, I’m already planning to go back.

With a Status Pass, eligible Aeroplan Elite Status Members can treat anyone they like! A relative, friend or even a colleague – as long as they have an upcoming reservation with Air Canada. The recipient, along with their travel companions, will then enjoy premium travel services throughout their entire journey.
 

Explore all the benefits of the Aeroplan program and join now at: aircanada.com/aeroplan