While Nunavut came away winless at the National Aboriginal Hockey Championship in Winnipeg this past week with an 0-3 record, two hockey parents said the event is a tremendous learning experience for the players.

Kyle Tattuinee of Rankin Inlet was in Winnipeg to watch his son, Liam, 16, play forward with Team Nunavut.

Tattuinee said Liam was excited to play in the aboriginal tourney, especially getting the chance to suit-up with so many of his friends from home.

He said the vast majority of players on the Nunavut team came from the Kivalliq region.

SA国际影视传媒淚 find right now the Kivalliq players are more hockey savvy and the Baffin seems to be a little out of touch with their hockey approach right now,SA国际影视传媒� said Kyle.

SA国际影视传媒淭he Nunavut contingent is pretty strong right now, after winning gold at the recent Arctic Winter Games with the Under-19 group.

SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of that core group is still together.SA国际影视传媒�

Kyle said Nunavut is still a little bit behind the southern players when it comes to their structure and organization.

He said the games he saw at the event were well-attended, and it was mostly a good atmosphere for hockey, but not entirely.

SA国际影视传媒淓ach team seemed to have a solid fan base, especially Saskatchewan. They have a lot of aboriginal players that I would class as pretty high end and, being so close to Manitoba, a lot of their fans made the trip.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was an especially good atmosphere at the arena for the Nunavut vs. Saskatchewan game.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was a little disappointed with one of the Alberta players calling our players SA国际影视传媒済rasshoppers,SA国际影视传媒� but I donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to get too much into that.

SA国际影视传媒淪ometimes, on the surface, it looks like the racism is not there, but it still is very much there. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 crazy. YouSA国际影视传媒檙e at an aboriginal tournament and youSA国际影视传媒檙e still making racist remarks.SA国际影视传媒�

Warren Kusugak was in Winnipeg to watch his son, Ben, 17, also a forward with Team Nunavut.

Warren said he found the overall play at the aboriginal tournament to be awesome.

He said it was great competition and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 going to help take hockey in Nunavut to the next step.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was a good learning experience for our players, big time,SA国际影视传媒� said Warren.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think Nunavut came up just a little short at the tournament when it comes to team chemistry and playing together.

SA国际影视传媒淢any of the players on the team played down south this year and the rest up North, so they really didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have much time to come together as a team.SA国际影视传媒�

Warren said he saw Team Nunavut being being feisty and never giving up as the teamSA国际影视传媒檚 strength at the tournament, while knowing each other and playing together as a team was their weakness.

He said you know theySA国际影视传媒檙e good players, they just need to click together a little bit better.

SA国际影视传媒淭he earlier our players get to play at higher levels like this the better.

SA国际影视传媒淭he more exposure to this level they get, the better theySA国际影视传媒檒l play and theySA国际影视传媒檒l know what to expect when they come to big tournaments.

SA国际影视传媒淭he exposure to southern hockey, and seeing how good some of the players in southern communities are, will really help them develop their own game.

SA国际影视传媒淚 really like seeing how many Kivalliq players are going down south now to play and I really encourage it.SA国际影视传媒�