Judging by the wrestlers that made the Arctic Winter Games team for Whitehorse this coming March, one thing is certain: They wonSA国际影视传媒檛 be short on experience.

And they should cause some headaches for the opposition.

That last line was the prediction of Chris Crooks, the teamSA国际影视传媒檚 head coach, following the Nunavut Wrestling Championships which wrapped up in Cambridge Bay on Nov. 3. A total of 11 wrestlers were named to the team SA国际影视传媒� six boys and five girls SA国际影视传媒� and the one thing which stands out is the experience of the team, said Crooks.

SA国际影视传媒淲e should have a very strong team and I would say one of the strongest teams weSA国际影视传媒檝e ever sent to the Games,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of the athletes have experience outside of the territory and not just in major games.SA国际影视传媒�

Most of the usual suspects made the final cut, such as Eekeeluak Avalak of Cambridge Bay and Cody Qamukaq of Iglulik on the boys side, both of whom competed at the Western Canada Summer Games in Saskatchewan this past August, which the girls roster is a near-carbon copy of the Western Canada Summer Games girls roster as all five SA国际影视传媒� Kiana Ekpakohak of Cambridge Bay, Kristen McCallum of Cambridge Bay, Chasity St. John of Arviat, Kylie Kunuk of Iglulik and Aislyn Omilgoetok of Cambridge Bay SA国际影视传媒� fought in Saskatchewan.

All of the team members won their weight classes, said Crooks, including one young grappler who was the surprise package of the tournament.

SA国际影视传媒淭he only surprise of the results is Kaaju Arreak of Iqaluit,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淗e trained on his own, he paid his own way to get here and made the team.SA国际影视传媒�
Arreak didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have a coach in Iqaluit and needed to have a coach in order to compete. Barrett Mason, the coach from Pangnirtung, agreed to step in and act as his chaperon for the meet, which satisfied things for Crooks.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was having e-mail back-and-forth with KaajuSA国际影视传媒檚 mom and asked him where he trained, how he was working out,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 said if he pays the entry fee and makes his way here, he can compete and he turned out to be quite good.SA国际影视传媒�

The championships also doubled as a training camp with a full weekSA国际影视传媒檚 worth of workouts, meals and school work.

SA国际影视传媒淲e made sure they didnSA国际影视传媒檛 fall behind,SA国际影视传媒� said Crooks.

It also served as an identification camp for the 2020 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) in Halifax next July though Crooks said NAIG does things a bit different for wrestling.

SA国际影视传媒淔or the Arctic Winter Games, we only have six weight classes and NAIG has 13,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭he age limit is different; itSA国际影视传媒檚 open to athletes born between 2001 and 2005 so we can add more athletes to our roster and that gives some of the older wrestlers in the territory a chance to try out.SA国际影视传媒�

There may be a camp of some sorts in Cambridge Bay for NAIG but Crooks said that all depends on whether there will be enough money to host such an event.

As for the AWG wrestlers, they could be on the road as early as next month for more training in Ontario, if all goes well.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檒l do something like an American-style tour where we go to a tournament and train and compete, then go to another one to train and compete,SA国际影视传媒� said Crooks. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檒l be calling around to see if there are any coaches who can help us out but ISA国际影视传媒檇 like to get to two major tournaments if I can.SA国际影视传媒�

FACT FILE

Arctic Winter Games wrestling team

Boys
Eekeeluak Avalak, Cambridge Bay (55-kg)
Joel Netser, Rankin Inlet (60-kg)
Cody Qamukaq, Iglulik (65-kg)
Kaaju Arreak, Iqaluit (70-kg)
Alexander Angalik, Arviat (78-kg)
Davey-Anthony Akat, Arviat (85-kg)

Girls
Kiana Ekpakohak, Cambridge Bay (50-kg)
Kristen McCallum, Cambridge Bay (55-kg)
Aislyn Omilgoetok, Cambridge Bay (60-kg)
Kylie Kunuk, Iglulik (65-kg)
Chasity St. John, Arviat (71-kg)
source: Nunavut Wrestling