2019 Canada Winter Games
How do you practice with your teammate when you live thousands of kilometres away? Nunavut badminton players explain..
Story courtesy of Chris Welner from HipCheck Media
Badminton Bonds Athletes From Across Nunavut
They come from a land of ice and snow, so when it’s time for sport, Team Nunavut heads indoors to the badminton court.
Nine young indigenous athletes make up the Nunavut badminton team, from communities thousands of kilometres apart. Now 10,000 kilometres of travel away from home, they have come together at the Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alta.
Derrick Akeeagok, 16, is from Grise Fiord, the most northerly settlement in Canada at the southern tip of Ellesmere Island with a population of 140. People have cars or trucks, but there aren’t many roads. Doubles partner Davidee Kudluarok, 15, lives 2,000 km south on Sanikiluaq Island, in the middle of Hudson Bay. With a population of less than 900 people, it is Nunavuts most southerly settlement. Distance doesn’t leave much opportunity to practice together but the pair did win gold at the Arctic Winter Games last year and had time to practice during a nine day training camp in Vancouver before the Games.
“With the Iqaluit players, I go there to play two or three times a year,” says Akeeagok. “with the Sanikiluaq players, like Davidee, not as much.”
So what was the journey like to the Canada Games? Practice, practice, practice … and a flight itinerary that read “Grise Fiord to Resolute; Resolute to Arctic Bay; Arctic Bay to Pond Inlet; Pond Inlet to Iqaluit; Iqaluit to Ottawa; Ottawa to Vancouver; Vancouver to Calgary and a bus to Red Deer,” says Akeeagok. That’s over 10,000 km of flying.
Without the resources or competition that athletes might find in larger centres Nunavut’s badminton team remains all-in for the Canada Games.
“The memories here will be very good considering how much fun I’ve had with my team,” says Akeeagok. “We’re joking around a lot and bugging each other – strong bonds are built at the Games.”
Shawna Kyak, 18 of Iqaluit is also on the badminton team. She plays soccer and volleyball, too.
“It’s been great meeting new people and trading pins has been fun,” she says. “I love everything about badminton and this is my first Canada Games. I hope there is more.”
Gary Wong, of Team Nunavut, says sport has always been important to Northern people, but the opportunities for sport can be limited because of lack of facilities, distance to travel and people to run programs. “The people love sport,” he says. “Sometimes, all a program needs is someone with a key to open the gym.”
2019 Canada Winter Games
Red Deer’s Lyn Radford joins new Chair Catriona Le May Doan on Canada Games Council
News release from the Canada Games Council
Hall of Fame Athlete Elected Chair of Canada Games Council Board of Directors
The Canada Games Council (CGC) is thrilled to announce the election of Canadian sport legend Catriona Le May Doan as Chair of the organization’s Board of Directors. Joining Le May Doan in officer positions are Vice-Chair Sean O’Donnell, Treasurer Sheri Somerville and Secretary Lyn Radford.
“I am very excited and honoured to be taking on the role of Chair of the Canada Games Council,” said Le May Doan. “I have been a part of the Canada Games Movement for almost 42 years. The Canada Games were my first multi-sport Games and had a huge impact on my career and I continue to believe in and witness the power of the Canada Games in building sport in our country, but also strengthening our communities.”
A three-time Olympic medallist and icon in Canadian speed skating, Le May Doan is a true champion on and off the field of play. She is a tireless ambassador for the transformational power of sport and a distinguished member of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and the Canada Games Hall of Honour.
A Canada Games alum in both speed skating and athletics for Team Saskatchewan, Le May Doan is currently the President and CEO of Sport Calgary. She recently served as Team Canada’s Chef de Mission at the Olympic Winter Games in 2022.
A longtime CGC board member, Le May Doan takes over the reins from outgoing Chair Evan Johnston, who is stepping down after 10 years on the board as he takes on the new role as President and CEO of The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company in January.
“On behalf of the entire Canada Games family, I’d like to thank Evan for his decade of volunteer service to the Canada Games Movement and his invaluable guidance and mentorship to our CGC Board and staff as Chair of the Canada Games Council,” said Kelly-Ann Paul, CGC President and CEO. “We are thrilled to welcome Catriona at the helm and know her strategic leadership will continue to solidify the foundation of our organization so that the Canada Games strengthen the fabric of our nation from coast to coast to coast.”
“I hope to continue the great work that Evan has done and I thank him for his leadership,” said Le May Doan. “I am looking forward to working with the incredible CGC team and our network of partners for the upcoming Games in St. John’s next summer, and then in Quebec City in 2027, where we will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Games. Together, we will continue to spark greatness in Canadians through the Canada Games.”
Those filling the remaining officer positions have all been on the CGC Board since 2022.
O’Donnell brings extensive executive experience in the federal public service and the Canadian sport system to the Vice-Chair role. Somerville is a business executive, entrepreneur, and award-winning PR consultant, all of which will serve her well as Treasurer. Radford brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in revenue generation for non-profit and sport organizations, as well as a Host Society leadership lens, to the role of Secretary.
The next Canada Summer Games take place from August 8-25, 2025 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, while the next Canada Winter Games will unfold in Quebec City from February 27 to March 14, 2027.
About the Canada Games Council
The Canada Games Council, a private, non-profit organization, is the governing body for the Canada Games. Held once every two years, alternating between winter and summer, the Canada Games represent the highest level of national competition for up and coming Canadian athletes. The Games have been hosted in every province at least twice since their inception in Quebec City during Canada’s Centennial in 1967. The Games are proud of their contribution to Canada’s sport development system, in addition to their lasting legacy of sport facilities, community pride and national unity. The organization of the Canada Games is made possible through the tireless dedication of local Host Societies and the contribution and support of the federal, provincial/territorial and host municipal governments.
2019 Canada Winter Games
Gift that keeps giving: 35 Alberta non-profits funded through the 2019 Canada Winter Games Legacy Fund
From the Canada Games Council
LEGACIES OF THE 2019 CANADA WINTER GAMES CONTINUE TO GROW
Legacy Fund Society awards legacy funds to not-for-profits across Alberta
The 2019 Canada Winter Games Legacy Fund Society has awarded the financial legacy from the 2019 Games to not-for-profit sport and community organizations across Alberta.
“The Legacy Fund Society is pleased to announce that we have awarded $655,000 in grants to 35 not-for-profit sport and community organizations across Alberta,” said Guy Pelletier, Legacy Fund Society Chair. “The grants support a wide variety of projects across the province. These organizations and their respective projects build on the numerous legacies of the 2019 Games.”
Through a grant application process in early 2021, the Legacy Fund Society received and reviewed funding requests for 200 projects from nearly 150 organizations at a value of over $7.1 million.
“The response to our call for applications was phenomenal. There was no shortage of meaningful and innovative projects,” said Pelletier.
“The 2019 Canada Games in Red Deer were truly transformative and continue to foster meaningful legacies across Alberta,” said Kelly-Ann Paul, Senior Vice-President of Host Relations at the Canada Games Council. “These legacy grants will enrich and uplift organizations and communities as we strive to strengthen the fabric of Canada through the power of sport.”
Requests for funding were reviewed and evaluated based on their alignment with the values of the 2019 Games and distributed in four categories: athlete and coach or official development; infrastructure or equipment development or acquisition; sport development capacity building; and non-sport or discretionary projects.
The following is a listing of the organizations who were awarded funding:
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