They may not win a match, Heck, they may not even win a set.

But there's no denying the Canada Winter Games table tennis team won't be one of the most prepared squads to play in Red Deer, Alta. next month when the Games begin.

The entire team made the trip to Whitehorse this past weekend for a training camp with their Yukon counterparts in preparation for the Games. All six players, head coach Thorsten Gohl, team manager Jodi Brennan and even alternate Lennox Mutford hit the tables for a weekend of drills and game play.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was a lot of work,SA国际影视传媒� said Gohl. SA国际影视传媒淲e have no experience with the Canada Winter Games and none of these kids have ever experienced a big national competition before and that goes for Yukon as well.SA国际影视传媒�
With that in mind, Gohl said day one of the camp was spent just talking about the Games themselves and what the experience is going to be like.

SA国际影视传媒淭he nerves are there, you can tell,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭his will be the first time our kids will experience anything like this so we wanted to tell them what to expect.SA国际影视传媒�

Once the pep talk was out of the way, it was on to drills, which included some work on doubles table tennis, something Gohl said isn't done a lot in the North.

SA国际影视传媒淲e were able to teach a cleaner technique to the kids,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e didn't teach them anything about spinning because that comes with playing others. We don't have a lot of that happening in the NWT because the kids we have only have about one year of experience.SA国际影视传媒�

In contrast, the Yukon contingent plays at least two times per week, he added.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey're playing more games and that's how they train,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

It will be a young team heading to Red Deer with more than half the team no older than 13 years of age.

Gohl said he's proud of them no matter what happens.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey'll do great,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚t's all about working on the fears they have and doing some team building exercises.SA国际影视传媒�
Gohl thinks there are sets to be won against some teams such as Nunavut, Yukon, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador but there is one ultimate goal.

SA国际影视传媒淭he goal for us is to not finish last,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

As for the camp, Gohl said something like this is something desperately needed to help with the grassroots.

SA国际影视传媒淲e need to do more of this sort of thing,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭his is what helps build the sport in the North and getting to do this was exciting for me and for the kids.SA国际影视传媒�