Members of the Rankin Inlet table tennis team brought home a total of eight medals from the territorial trials in Iqaluit last month.

The Rankin players captured gold in U15 womenSA国际影视传媒檚 doubles, silver in U18 menSA国际影视传媒檚 singles, and bronze in U18 mixed doubles, U15 Mixed doubles and U15 menSA国际影视传媒檚 singles.

Gholam Dareshoripour was selected for the Arctic Winter Games, while Gregory Wiseman was named as an alternate.

Coach Mark Squires said Rankin's play in Iqaluit was a huge improvement over this past year.

He said he and fellow coach Olusoga Tomoloju are very happy with the progress the players are making.

SA国际影视传媒淲e have a player (Dareshoripour) selected to go to the Arctic Winter Games now in U18 men's singles, and we're very proud about that,SA国际影视传媒� said Squires.

SA国际影视传媒淥ur players have put in a lot of time to improve their play this year. Our team worked very hard this past year, as well, and we're now seeing the progress from that dedication and the exposure we received in Iqaluit.

SA国际影视传媒淲e had a game plan coming in this year and we trained very hard. And, in Iqaluit, we were rewarded for all our hard work.SA国际影视传媒�

Squires said it's hard to compare table tennis with hockey and soccer, which are the two big sports in Rankin Inlet.

He said table tennis gets nowhere near the exposure those two do as a sport.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen you turn on the TV you see hockey, football and soccer. It's very seldom that anyone turns on the TV and sees professional table tennis,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen I was in Grade 8 about 15 years ago, I went with my school to my very first table tennis tournament in Goose Bay, Labrador, and all of our players were completely wiped out by the Inuit communities from coastal Labrador.

SA国际影视传媒淚 couldn't understand why every Inuit player was exceptionally good until I made it to the North and realized sports is everything here.SA国际影视传媒�

Squires said there are so many things people can choose to do in the south, but it's always about sports in the North.

He said sports provide that special grip that kids in the North hang onto so tightly.

SA国际影视传媒淲e're really hoping to have a tournament at the school following the Christmas break for everyone who plays, or who would like to play,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淲e had so many people very interested in table tennis, but we were only allowed to pick eight from the 30 or so who were interested. So, we want to give everyone the chance to compete.

SA国际影视传媒淲e're also very excited about the fact Bense Csaba SA国际影视传媒� his mom and dad head Table Tennis Nunavut SA国际影视传媒� is coming to hold a table tennis training camp just for Rankin Inlet in March or May, whenever Baker Lake takes its spring break.

SA国际影视传媒淪o, the tournament and training camp will be two great highlights to bring the year to a close for our program, and then we'll do it all over again in October of 2020.SA国际影视传媒�