Nunavut teams in Sask. for training camps ahead of upcoming Arctic Winter Games

Athletes from Nunavut are in Saskatchewan this week to train with university players and coaches in advance of next month's Arctic Winter Games.

The 2024 Arctic Winter Games (AWG) will run March 10 to 16 in Mat-Su, Alaska. Four Nunavut teams — two basketball and two volleyball — travelled south to Saskatchewan this week for their training camps.

The Nunavut teams feature players from around the territory, which makes training together logistically difficult. The trip is an opportunity for them to meet each other and train together.

The two basketball teams trained with players and coaches at the University of Regina, while the volleyball teams trained at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. All of them then had the opportunity to play exhibition games in Regina.

Olivia Tapatai coaches Nunavut's junior girls basketball team, which features players 19 and under. She said the camp has been helpful for team-building and developing skills.

"We have players from three different communities who came together to play together for the first time and trained together for the first time," Tapatai said.

She said the training camp has helped motivate the girls and given them confidence on the court.

"Players for the female team come from a fairly small pool because we don't have a lot of girls playing basketball. [We're] trying to change that."

The U of R women's basketball team working with the Nunavut squad. Tapatai said that mentoring was the highlight for her players.

"They've had the opportunity to see women play the sport that they play at a high level and receive training from women who are doing what they want to be doing, who are playing the way they want to play," said Tapatai.  

"I've just been soaking it all in,