The territory's badminton community convened on the capital earlier this month for the Nunavut Badminton Championships with more than just territorial titles on their minds.
Players from 14 communities hit the courts at Inuksuk High School and Joamie School in the U16, U19 and U23 divisions to determine the best in the territory for 2018 but also to see who would make the cut for the 2019 Canada Winter Games, which are happening in Red Deer, Alta., this coming February.
NNSL file photo
When it comes to the territorial side of things, Sanikiluaq was the top-performing community overall and left with the championship banner having tallied a total of 58 points over the course of the tournament.
Pangnirtung and Iqaluit ended up tied for second on 40 points while Grise Fiord ended up with 14 points. The points were handed out based on top-three finishes for each community.
Gary Wong, president of the Nunavut Badminton Association, said Sanikiluaq was the team to beat heading into the tournament.
“Everyone expected them to do well and they did,” he said. “The thing about Sanikiluaq is that they have a lot of people playing the sport in the community. They already have a great group of players but there's another group of players coming through the ranks and those younger players are being taught by the older players. That group has developed very well.”
Davidee Kudluarok of Sanikiluaq ended up winning several titles over the course of the weekend. His haul included the singles and doubles titles in the U16 boys division and the U19 boys doubles title by teaming up with Derrick Akeeagok of Grise Fiord. Perhaps the most impressive part was his win in the U23 men's singles division.
Not bad for a kid who's just 15-years-old.
The thing that impressed Wong the most, though, was the communities that normally don't feature in the top-three hitting pay dirt.
“Pond Inlet had a doubles team that won bronze and Arviat had a player win a medal,” he said. “It was a great tournament because there were so many surprises.”
This was the second consecutive year Pond Inlet had sent a team after several years away from the tournament and their coach, Jeff Milley, was recognized for helping to re-vitalize the sport with the Tundraroots Development Recognition award.
“They hadn't sent a team in a few years and no one was running the program on the ground,” said Wong. “All of a sudden, in comes Jeff to re-start things. He brings them to the territorials last year and they get wiped out. They come back this year and one of their doubles team wins a medal. They came out of nowhere and that shows how crucial it is to have a committed coach on the ground in a community.”
In terms of the Canada Winter Games, there were five male and five female players selected, along with alternates, at the end of the tournament but Wong is holding off on making things official right now.
He said the reason behind the delay is because he wants to make sure those who have been selected are committed to the process.
“It's a big commitment,” he said. “We want them to know what we expect them to do because in the past when we've done training camps before a major competition, some of the players barely made it past day one of the camp. We want everyone to go and this is a huge opportunity for them but the alternates are just as hungry to be in their place so we want them to understand what this is all about.”
Wong said confirmation letters have been drafted and once they've been filled out, the roster will be made public.
FACT FILE – Nunavut Badminton Championships results
Singles
U16 girls
1st - Alashua Nakasuk (Pangnirtung)
2nd - Zan Tao (Iqaluit)
3rd - Sarah Kowcharlie (Sanikiluaq)
U19 girls
1st - Shawna Kyak (Iqaluit)
2nd - Larena Ashevak (Iqaluit)
3rd - Janet Pitsulak (Qikiqtarjuaq)
U23 women's
1st - Jane Nakashuk (Pangnirtung)
2nd - Shawna Kyak (Iqaluit)
3rd - Mina Mannuk (Sanikiluaq)
U16 boys
1st - Davidee Kudluarok (Sanikiluaq)
2nd - Ross Kavik (Sanikiluaq)
3rd - Jayden Nungaq (Iqaluit)
U19 boys
1st - Mike Kavik (Sanikiluaq)
2nd - Derrick Akeeagok (Grise Fiord)
3rd - William Campbell (Arviat)
U23 men's
1st - Davidee Kudluarok (Sanikiluaq)
2nd - Daryle Iqaluq (Sanikiluaq)
3rd - Derrick Akeeagok (Grise Fiord)
Doubles
U16 girls
1st - Sylvia Ottokie/Zan Tao (Iqaluit)
2nd - Sarah Kowcharlie/Caroline Iqaluq (Sanikiluaq)
3rd - Janelle Koonoo/Nala Koonoo (Pond Inlet)
U19 girls
1st - Shawna Kyak/Larena Ashevak (Iqaluit)
2nd - Megan Kilabuk/Alashua Nakashuk (Pangnirtung)
3rd - Carmen Nutaralak/Janet Pitsulak (Qikiqtarjuaq)
U23 women's (individual win/point total):
1st - Mina Mannuk (Sanikiluaq)
2nd - Jane Nakashuk (Pangnirtung)
3rd - Jeannie Jones (Whale Cove)
U16 boys
1st - Ross Kavik/Davidee Kudluarok (Sanikiluaq)
2nd - Jack Allakariallak/Jayden Nungaq (Iqaluit)
3rd - Steven Nowdlak/Joshua Nauyuk (Pangnirtung)
U19 boys
1st - Davidee Kudluarok (Sanikiluaq)/Derrick Akeeagok (Grise Fiord)
2nd - Mike Kavik/Jaani Audla (Sanikiluaq)
3rd - Elias Alookie/Henry Nookiguak (Qikiqtarjuaq)
U23 men's
1st - Daryle Iqaluq/Sappa Cookie (Sanikiluaq)
2nd - Ian McDonald/Charlie Naluvyuk (Iqaluit)
3rd - Peter Parr (Cape Dorset)/Joanasie Angnakak (Pangnirtung)
source: Nunavut Badminton Association