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14TuesdayJuly152014NWTteamtonedtrainedandreadyforNAIGSportsRecreationIndigenousGamesByDALICARMICHAELAboriginalathletesfromacrosstheNorthwestTerri-torieswillhavethechancetoshowofftheirskillswhentheyconvergeinReginaSask.attheendofthemonthtocompeteinthe2014NorthAmericanIndigenousGames.Thetournamentheldeverythreeyearswillseeover4500athletescoachesandtheirsupportersfromCanadaandtheUnitedStatesocktotheprairiecityfromJuly20to27foraweekofintensecompetitionandcelebrationofdiverseNorthAmericanindigenouscultures.OurtotalteamintheNWTis320peopleincludingmis-sionstaffvolunteersofcialsathletesandcoachessaidAaronWellschefdemissionforTeamNWT.Aboriginalyouthwillhavetheopportunitytocompetein14sportslike3Darcherybadmintonbasketballcanoe-ingandkayakinggolfboxlacrosserieshootingsoccersoftballvolleyballandrelayevents.TeamNWTwontbesendingcompetitorsforbox-ingorbaseballastherewaslittleinterestinthosesports.UniquechallengesoftheNorthFerronBeamish18playsmiddlepositionfortheNWTsvolleyballteam.HesaidthemajorityofhisgroupisluckyenoughtobebasedtogetherinFortSmith-eightoutof11playerslivethere-butsomeoftheirteammatesresideincommunitieshoursaway.Be-causeoflogisticsintheNorthmanyteamslikeBeamishswontgettoplayasawholeuntiltheyreachRegina.Wedontreallyhaveprac-ticetimeherewecantrentoutthegymsowejustusu-allygotodrop-insportsatthereccentreandwellplaytherehesaid.Beamishwhoalsorep-resentedtheNWTatthisyearsArcticWinterGameslooksforwardtoplay-ingagainstanewcropofathletes.Itsgoingtobeahighercalibrecompetitionsoitsgoingtobealotmorefunplayingagainstpeoplewhoknowwhattheyresupposedtobedoinghesaid.PromotingcultureandsportInadditiontobeingasportstournamentNAIGisanop-portunitytoshowcaseandshareAboriginalculturesinNorthAmerica.NAIGeventskickedoffJuly1withtheLanceRunJourneyatourthatwillseeSaskatchewanFirstNationsandMtisyouthruntheirwayfromPrinceAlberttotheopeningceremoniesinReginaonJuly20.OpeningceremonieswillbehostedatMosaicStadiumwhereaparadeofathleteswillmarchasAboriginalsingersanddancersentertainthecrowds.Closingceremonieswillalsofeaturesonganddancewith2014JunowinnersATribeCalledRedheadlining.ACulturalVillagegrass-rootsfestivalwillbesetuponthefrontlawnoftheFirstNa-tionsUniversityofCanadafromJuly21to26.OpentoNAIGattendeesandthegeneralpub-licitwillfeatureculturalwork-shopsandinformationalstalls.TostayuptodateonTeamNWTsprogressthroughoutNAIGfollowAboriginalSportCircleNWTonFacebookandTwitterfordailyupdatesortuneintoCKLBthroughoutthetournamentforaspecialnightlyradioshowwithathleteinterviewsanddailystandings.ForprolesonmoreNWTathletesheadtohttpwww.as-cnwt.caProgramsEventsNorthAmericanIndigenousGames2014Regina.aspx.LocalhockeyherotourstheSouthSlaveShaunMacPhersoncomeshometospreadmessageofdeterminationSportsRecreationHockeyByDALICARMICHAELUp-and-comingNorth-westTerritorieshockeyheroShaunMacPherson20spentlastweektouringtheSouthSlaveregionmeetingwithyoungfansforadayofdrillsandlifeskills.ThetourorganizedbythedepartmentofMunicipalandCommunityAffairsMACAstartedattheHayRiverre-serveonJuly8withstopsinFortResolutionandFortProvidencebeforewrappingupinthePortlandWinter-hawkdefencemanshome-townofFortSmithonJuly11.Iveneverreallydoneany-thinglikethissoitsbeenalotoffunsofarMacPher-sonsaid.Ijusttryandtellthemwhatworksformetobecomeahockeyplayeroranathleteanditsthesameiftheydontplayhockey-iftheyreasoccerplayerorsomethingelseitsallthesamestuff.Theowofthevisitwassimilarineachtown.FirstMacPhersontoldhisyouthfulaudienceaboutmovingfromhissmalltowntoEdmontonattheageof14togivehimabettershotatbeingseenbyscouts.Hespokeofhisupsanddownsplayingonmidgetteamsforthreeyearsbeforeanyprofessionalleaguespaidattention.HesharedastoryofdeterminationandhardworkbeforehewasnallypickedupbytheSaskatch-ewanJuniorHockeyLeagueat18followedbyarunwithhisWesternHockeyLeagueteam.NextMacPhersonbran-dishedhis2012WHLcham-pionshipringwonduringhisrstyearofplayingfortheWinterhawks.Hepasseditaroundsoattendingyouthandtheirparentscouldoglethesymbolofhisearlysuccess.Finallythekidspickeduptheirsticksandlearneddex-teritydrillsbeforeplayingafriendlystreethockeygamewithMacPherson.SmokewarningsandpoorweatherforcedmostofthegroupstoplayindoorsbutFortSmithyouthwereluckyenoughtoplayunderthesuninthelotofthetownsrecreationcentre.MACAyouthtoursPeterDanielsregionalyouthandvolunteerofcerfortheSouthSlaveregionwastheforcebehindwhathecallsasuccessfultourwithatleast15participantsshowingupateachstop.Hepromisedsimilarmeetandgreettoursforyouthinthefutureincludinganotherex-periencewithMacPhersonandpotentiallyotherNWThockeyplayersnextsummer.ItsbeengreatforShaunthekidshavejustbeenre-ceivinghimverypositivelyDanielssaid.ShaunbeingbornandraisedhereinSmithandsucceedinginhockeythewayhehaskidsknowwhoheisandIthinkitmakesabiggerimpact.Henotedthatinthepastsimilartourshadbeenconductedwithnon-North-ernersbuthebelievesshow-casinglocaltalentgiveskidsmorebangfortheirbuck.Lookingaheadat201415seasonTherewontbeanyrestfortherisinghockeyplayeranytimesoon.HevisitedwithfamilyandfriendsinFortSmithfortheweekendbeforereturningtoEdmontontohelprunasummerhockeycampforkidsattheUniversityofAlbertarink.Asforhisownhockeyca-reerMacPhersonsayshehopestorejointheWinter-hawksforthe2014-2015sea-sonthoughthecompetitionmightbemorestiffthisyear.WHLteamsareonlyallowedtohavethreeplayersaged20andoverandMacPher-sonknowsheisanglingforatoughspot.HehopesforthebestbutifallelsefailsMacPhersonsaidhewouldbehappytoplayforhisJuniorHockeyLeagueteamtheSaskatchewan-basedKindersleyKlippers.ShaunMacPhersonrightgoesheadtoheadwithyouthduringastreethockeygameatFridaysSouthSlavetourstopinFortSmiththePortlandWinterhawkshometown.PhotoDaliCarmichael