"You can’t wear shirts in the water, but you can wear caps – the orange ones"

Nicole LaCoste has the wisdom of knowing how to follow her heart and, ultimately, move down the path to chase new dreams.

A political science graduate with passions that range from outdoor adventures to coaching to learning and development, there was a time in her life when career aspirations focussed on international relations. LaCoste was always one for displaying an eagerness to contribute to making the world a better place.

Going through grade school and university, LaCoste devoted time and effort to the physical attributes, rewards, and camaraderie of competitive swimming. The opportunities would either be with the Mississauga Aquatic Club or at the University of Western Ontario.

There were awards, too, after winning individual events at provincial competitions and participating at National level meets as a teenager. For her, the biggest award was still to come.

When the academic years ended, things became progressively busier for LaCoste.

The learning continued for her, but this time it was as a Training Instructor for a Canadian airline. These days, she’s a Learning and Development consultant for a multi-national company.

Not to be forgotten are the countless hours LaCoste has spent coaching a specific age group of youngsters with the Lakeshore Swim Club (LSC) located in Toronto. Busy, indeed. Now, the focus is on her first child soon to enter the world.

When talking with LaCoste, it becomes crystal clear that what has also emerged in her busy life, one that has constantly involved learning and volunteering in her community, is a genuine attentiveness for knowledge about Canada’s Indigenous community.

She was born in Mississauga, a name that comes from the Anishinaabe word “misi-zaagiing”. That means “Those at the Great River-mouth". The Anishinaabe are a group of culturally related Indigenous peoples.

“I was involved in swimming at various levels for a long time and was surprised that I didn’t know about the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG),” said LaCoste. “I am sure that there were many others, who were just like me. For me, it was a wakeup call and I started to think how both swim communities could connect. I wanted to get involved, raise awareness, and to take action.”

LaCoste did just that.

In 2021, LaCoste had an idea to not only would give back to a sport that taught her so much, but her initiative would be another way of responding to the 94 calls to action - policy recommendations by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015 meant to help in the healing process.

In alignment with Orange Shirt Day, LaCoste came up with another way of raising awareness and this involved the swim community. Her idea was to sell and wear orange swim caps and give 100% of the funds raised to the Indigenous community.

LaCoste wanted something that would involve swimmers, coaches, officials, volunteers, and families. Some 20,000 people, in a variety of ages, are signed up with Swim Ontario - the largest swim organization in Canada.

“You can’t wear shirts in the water, but you can wear caps – the orange ones,” she said. “Swimming had many positive impacts on my life and taught me many skills, and I know athletes are all committed to learning from each other. After all, swimming is a life skill, not just a sport.”

In September of 2021 LaCoste organized the first orange cap day. Along with raising funds, LSC clubs participated in a club-wide team walk focussed on awareness and reflection. LaCoste then committed to building relationships in the Indigenous sport community and getting more teams involved every year.

LaCoste’s push to awareness, using the sale of an orange latex or silicone cap, would quickly become a Canada-wide success.

By September 2022, competitive swim clubs and athletes across Canada participated in the inaugural nation-wide Orange Cap Day. The caps were worn to honor - but also support those who continue to be affected by the genocidal school system.

Whether it was through educational walks, word-of-mouth, or other ways to draw awareness, over $7,000 has been raised with the profits going to the Aboriginal Support Circle to support youth Indigenous sports.

Organizations and groups like the Duncan Swim Team in British Columbia, Indigenous Sport and Wellness Ontario, Swim Ontario, Team Aquatic Supplies and the LSC have united - as a sport community - to stage an Orange Cap Campaign across the country.

“It’s not about me,” said LaCoste, who has coached at the LSC for two years. “Raising awareness is an important part of my life.

“I feel blessed with the opportunities that I had during my swimming career, and I am grateful for the people who connected me with others to build relationships in the Indigenous community.

The orange caps are just the beginning.”

LaCoste initially pitched the idea of an orange cap to those in her swim club. Then, it was to the Board of Ontario’s vast swim organization as well as various other organizations. Everyone offered support.

September 30. That’s Canada’s Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a time when the country honors the children who never returned home as well as survivors of residential schools.

This year, those orange caps will have added a logo – “Every Child Matters”.

David Grossman is a veteran multi award-winning Journalist and Broadcaster with some of Canada’s major media, including the Toronto Star and SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN, and a Public Relations professional for 50+ years in Canadian sports and Government relations.