Week two of the Canada Summer Games in Niagara, Ont., is off and running and that means new sports for Team NT to prepare for.

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 volleyball and track and field that will take centre stage for the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 athletes, but before we roll into that, Team NTSA国际影视传媒檚 chef de mission talked about week one. No medals to speak of, unlike the excitement seen by Nunavut and Cambridge BaySA国际影视传媒檚 Eekeeluak Avalak on the wrestling mat, but no shame, either, said Rita Mercredi.

SA国际影视传媒淥n the field of play, everyone did amazing,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 think there was a moment where the athletes didnSA国际影视传媒檛 bring their best. We had a close call in beach volleyball, we had swimmers taking off something, like, 30 seconds off of times, soccer was great, so was basketball, close calls in tennis SA国际影视传媒� no complaints at all.SA国际影视传媒�

The beach volleyball duo of Christopher Mathison and Isaac Karstad missed a chance at a play-in game for the playoffs, suffering one loss too many in the round-robin, but Mercredi said the pair really rose to the occasion.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey got better as they kept playing and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what happens when youSA国际影视传媒檙e playing the best in the country,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淵ou play better when the teams are better and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what we want to see: athletes who bring it every time and compete.SA国际影视传媒�

Going into the Games, there was the worry about how the two-plus years of Covid-19 restrictions wouldSA国际影视传媒檝e factored into performances on the playing field. Several sports werenSA国际影视传媒檛 able to either hold practices, play games or travel to play because of the varying rules governing what could and couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 happen.

Mercredi said those restrictions did play havoc with preparations, but it was never used as an excuse if things went south.

SA国际影视传媒淚 never heard it said once,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淥ur coaches and athletes did what they had to do and they all managed it well, even with not having 100 per cent engagement. Our coaches had expectations and I think some of our athletes exceeded those expectations.SA国际影视传媒�

Speaking about AvalakSA国际影视传媒檚 performance, Mercredi said it was a moment that took her breath away simply because it happened to a fellow Northerner.

SA国际影视传媒淔or him to be able to pull that off, those are the things I live vicariously through,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淥bviously, it wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 one of our athletes, but all of us in the North seem to band together and cheer each other on. Just think of what heSA国际影视传媒檚 going to be able to do now and the opportunities that are going to come.SA国际影视传媒�

And so now the focus turns to the second week, which gets underway on Tuesday. The girls volleyball team will be in action versus Yukon at 12 p.m. MDT, while track and field will see a full slate of events, including the heats in the 100-metre and 400-metre races, long jump and triple jump, among others.

Mercredi said the athletes and coaches all arrived in Toronto on Sunday safe and sound and made it into St. Catharines, Ont., not too long after that.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey had a chance to practice (on Monday) and theySA国际影视传媒檙e excited,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 think whatSA国际影视传媒檚 really cool is that the venues for both sports are close together, so that means they can go and cheer each other on.SA国际影视传媒�