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13TuesdayFebruary112014SportsRecreationOlympicsByMARIACHURCHWhenBobWhitefoundanewspaperclippingfrom1995showingtheyouthwinnersoftheHayRiverPtubskiracethatyearincludedBrendanGreenandMichaelGildaytwoNWT-bredOlympicath-letescurrentlyinSochiRussiaforthe2014Win-terOlympicshehappilysharedthearticleinthecommunity.ItsexcitingforthecommunityandforpeoplewhovolunteeredandwhoNWTOlympianfeelssupportfromtheterritoryYouthbepassionateaboutyoursportGildaywereoutthereforthemWhitesaid.Whenyoufindoutabouttheirsto-riesyoulearntheirearlystartplayedarole.WhiteafoundationalmemberoftheHayRiverskiclubsaidwatchingthesparkleinayoungski-erseyebeforeheorshelaunchesfromthestartlineisagreatincentivetokeeporganizingskiracesinthecommunity.ToknowthatsomeoftheyoungathletesinthoseraceshavetakentheirsportsallthewaytotheOlympicsisevenmorere-wardinghesaid.SpeakingtoTheJour-nalfromSochiRussiaonWednesdaylessthanaweekbeforehisdebutOlympicshorttrack-speedskatingraceGildayre-calledcompetingwithGreenasayoungathletegrowingupintheNWT.IrememberspecificallyracingagainsthimintheHayRivertrackandfieldmeetandgettingabsolutelypummeledbyhim.Hesgottobesixinchestallerthanmesoasarunnerhewasfarsuperiortomehesaidwithalaugh.RacinginthePtubagainstGreeninhiselementGil-daysaidthatwhilehelikedtothinkofhimselfasaprettygoodskierGreenwastheterritorialbench-markfortheyouthracers.Iwasalwaysgunningforhimbuthewasalwaysbet-terthanmehelaughed.LocalracingGildaysaidwasunequivocallyimportanttohissuccessasanathlete.Whiletherearecertainlysomedraw-backsforyouthpursuingsportintheNWTsuchaslongtraveltoraceshewasquicktopointoutadvan-tagesaswell.Itstruethereisdefi-nitelymoretoovercomebutIthinkwhatwehaveinasmallercommunityisthatwhenpeopleseeyoungkidsthatarepassionatethataretryingreallyhardtoimprovethemselvesthatareapplyingthemselvesasmuchastheycantoany-thingitcouldbeasportorartanythingtheyseethatandtheywanttohelphesaid.Gildaysaidhesalwayshadahugeteamofvolun-teerssupportinghiminhisathleticgoals.EventodayGildaysaidheisbackedbyhiscommunitywhichhappenstobetheentireterritory.InhishometownofYellow-knifethecityproclaimedFeb.10RedShirtDayandencouragedpeopletowearredinsolidaritywithGil-daysdebutonOlympicshorttrackice.ThehubofBrendanGreenssupportishishometownHayRiverwhereFeb.7wasdeclaredGreenDay.Thetownalsoheldapan-cakebreakfastonSatur-dayduringthebroadcastofGreensrstrace.Gildaysmessagetoaspir-ingathletesintheNWTThebiggestthingistobepassion-ateaboutyoursporthesaid.Iftheyarepassionateiftheyapplythemselvestherearealwaysgoingtobepeopletheretohelpthemgetoverboundaries.Ithinkwhatwehaveinasmallercom-munityisthatwhenpeopleseeyoungkidsthatarepassionatethataretryingreallyhardtoimprovethemselvesthatareapplyingthemselvesasmuchastheycantoanythingitcouldbeasportorartanythingtheyseethatandtheywanttohelp.MichaelGildayTeamCanadaYoungMichaelGildayfansgatherforasleep-overattheYellowknifemulitplextocheerontheirhometownOlympian.TravisDarlingandKimTybringputupapostercelebrat-ingBrendanGreenattheHayRiverArenalastweek.BrendanGreenshometownsupporterscongregateattheHayRiverrehalllastFriday.Around80peoplewearingredcheeronGildayduringhisdebutOlympicraceearlySaturdaymorning.PhotosBillBradenBobWhiteSportNorthFederationCanadaattheOlympicsMondayFeb.102014Imagesgoogle.ca