2006 Arctic Winter Games
Chef de Mission Report
Submitted by - Trevor Twardochleb June 2006 Table of Contents
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 2. GENERAL UNIT MANAGEMENT 3 3. ACCOMMODATION 4 4. FOOD SERVICE 5 5. CEREMONIES AND AWARDS 6 6. COMMUNICATIONS 7 7. CULTURAL PROGRAM 8 8. FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT 9 9. FINANCE 11 10. FORMS AND PUBLICATIONS 11 11. INSURANCE 12 12. MEDIA 12 13. MEDICAL 13 14. REGISTRATION AND ACCREDITATION 13 15. RESULTS 14 16. SECURITY 15 17. SOCIAL PROGRAM 15 18. SPORTS 16 19. TRANSPORTATION 18 20. WELCOMING AND SEND-OFF 19 21. TEAM SELECTION PROCESS 20 22. ARCTIC WINTER GAMES INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE 20 23. UNIT INVOLVEMENT SUMMARY 22 24. SUMMARY OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES 23
2 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The 2006 Arctic Winter Games held in the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska was a terrific experience for all members and supporters of Team Yukon. Our contingent finished forth in the medal standings with a much younger group of people than in previous Games, and their general behavior and attitude was exceptional. As always there are a number of interesting challenges throughout the journey, but it only made the Games more memorable in the eyes of many.
Our thanks and appreciation are extended to the 2006 Host Society, the communities of Girdwood, Homer, Kenai, & Soldotna, AWG International Committee, and all of the dedicated sponsors, partners, and volunteers who will be remembered for their tremendous hospitality and commitment to the Games movement.
The following report will provide an overview of operations of Team Yukon. General recommendations follow each heading.
2. GENERAL UNIT MANAGEMENT
The general management for Team Yukon is the responsibility of Sport Yukon based on an agreement through the Sport and Recreation Unit of the Yukon Territorial Government. The Executive Director of Sport Yukon acts as the Chef de Mission, and a member from the Sport Yukon Games Committee acts as the Assistant Chef de Mission. The Games Committee is responsible for all of the decisions regarding Major Games, including the selection of mission staff.
Applications for mission staff were accepted from the general public based on a series of criteria. We were very lucky to find such a responsible and capable group of people the year. Only six out of 14 individuals had previous Games experience, and one person was from outside of Whitehorse. The mission staff were selected six months prior to the Games, and met once a month prior to the opening ceremony.
Each of the mission staff were given certain sport responsibilities and were asked to work very closely with their Sport Governing Body which handle all specifics of the sport trials and team final selection based on a series of guidelines provided through Sport Yukon. The mission staff acted as a liaison between the sports and the Chef de Mission throughout the process to ensure that everyone had all the information they required.
At the Games the Chef and Assistant Chef attended the morning Chef's meetings and then passed along the appropriate information to the mission staff at a meeting immediately following.
3 It is also important to note that the chairperson of our Discipline Committee is the Assistant Chef. This person is ultimately responsible for dealing with any major infractions that occur within Team Yukon, with the help of the Chef de Mission. We had quite a few discipline incidents during the week and all were dealt with effectively and efficiently with this structure.
Recommendations:
Continue to appoint the Executive Director of Sport Yukon as the Chef de Mission for the Games Continue to appoint a member of the Sport Yukon Games Committee as the Assistant Chef de Mission. This person would act as the Chair of the Discipline Committee. Select all mission staff at least 9 month prior to the Games, and improve upon engaging people from outlying communities in this opportunity. Consider taking an athletic therapist or medical liaison as a mission staff member with selection based on specific medical services which may not be provided by the Host Society. Lobby the AWG International Committee to increase the number of mission staff available for the larger contingents at the Games. Continue to contract a professional photographer to take all team pictures at the Games. Continue to dedicate one mission member the responsibility of newsletters or contract an individual to take on this task. Continue to have staff in the mission office throughout the course of the day. Arrange to have the majority of the mission staff arrive prior to the athletes, or on the first charter so we are better organized as a group prior to the start of the Games. Allow for the members on mission staff to take on more specific responsibilities with team management prior to and during the Games. Include a series of quarterly orientations for team members and supporters prior to the start of the Games. Provide a questionnaire for each of the Sport Governing Bodies to allow for input on changes to sport trial guidelines. Plan an AWG presentation in all schools in the Territory at the start of each AWG school year.
3. ACCOMMODATION
The mission staff accommodation at the King’s Inn in Kenai was good. The staff was very helpful and made our stay very comfortable. The location of the Hotel was quite close to the
4 Challenger Center (Chef de Mission Meetings) and Mt. View School (Mission Offices) which was important. The location was also quite central to the majority of the sport venues.
The athlete/coach accommodations were quite acceptable considering the number of residences utilized. Some were certainly better than others, but the majority of the rooms had ample space and the bunk beds were comfortable. There were a few concerns raised about the availability of showers, or the portable showers/washroom setup, the splitting of a team into different rooms, the mixing of different contingents within a room, the paring of team and individual sports within a room with very different sport schedules and the traveling to eat from Sears Elementary on a bus that was not all that dependable and time consuming. Request for changes were certainly accommodated if space allowed and the staff and volunteers were excellent to work with.
This division continues to be a major focus and is of vital importance to the enjoyment and the performance of athletes at the Games. We have certainly made progress over past Games and must continue to fine-tune it.
Recommendations:
Try to minimize the number of accommodation units to house athletes from each contingent. Continue to house mission staff and officials separate from athletes. Allow Chef’s more input in room assignments or give them the responsibility. Only house more than one contingent in the same room for those sports where it is appropriate, and if space is a problem. Consider sports, schedules, ages and supervision when mixing sports. Try to keep team sports together in one room Ensure that there are ample washrooms and shower facilities in all accommodation units. Continue to focus upon security, and allow for same sex supervision. Continue to separate males and females. Take into account cultural differences with where they exist. Continue to use bunk beds in dorms. Continue to keep units smoke free. Allow an area for a coach’s lounge. Provide a drop area for people you do not want their sleeping bags when departing.
4. FOOD SERVICE
5 We all know the food was quite disappointing at the beginning of the week and improved remarkably as the Games progressed. The availability of beverages at each location however was excellent throughout. It is vitally important that the menus approved and circulated to each contingent prior to the Games be followed as you can’t expect athletes to perform at their potential when they can’t fuel themselves properly.
A couple additional problems that we experienced was that for grazing between meals nothing of substance was offered and there was limited consideration for feeding athletes after a later competition so we were forced to buy and deliver food in a number of cases. We were certainly impressed on how Food Service worked hard to improve their product throughout the week!
Recommendations:
Continue to allow for each contingent to provide feedback on menu development. Ensure the menus are approved and distributed to each contingent well in advance of the Games so there are no surprises. Ensure that Food Service delivers on plan. The International Committee should, consider a holdback or deposit in such cases. Provide food service at each accommodation unit. Continue to implement a grazing style program, with no limits on the number of visits. Ensure there is a wide variety of healthy food choices, and a vegetarian option at each meal. Ensure all menus and hot meal times are consistent and posted at the food service venue. Allow for flexible hot meal times if schedules become an issue. Continue to provide ample water and unsweetened juices at the cafeteria. Consider schedules, distance from venues and coach responsibilities when instituting a box lunch program. Consider a hot lunch option for teams provided with box lunches Be sure to develop and contingency plan for additional box lunches.
5. CEREMONIES AND AWARDS
The opening ceremony was quite good. Highlights included the big screens, the presentation of the national anthems, and the short speeches by the dignitaries. It was quite a long period of time to ask athletes to stand however and the time it takes to bus/marshal the athletes into the facility has to be minimized in the future.
6 The closing ceremony was OK however all of our athletes at Skyview didn’t arrive until halfway through the ceremonies and our flag bearer was one of them. Again, the speeches were kept short and although walking in and leaving as a contingent was appropriate in this case because of the departure scenario, it might be a whole lot easier to march en masse into a facility, thereby promoting the whole idea of unity with our northern partners.
Sport opening and closing ceremonies were good and appreciated.
The medal ceremonies were fine and varied from sport to sport. We like the idea of presenting medals at the venue following competition.
Recommendations:
Continue to keep tight control on the length of the opening and closing ceremonies. Cut down on the length of time we spend marshaling athletes to the ceremonies. We ask these athletes to spend far too long standing around or sitting on buses prior to their competition. Encourage the seating of athletes at the opening ceremonies if at all possible. Allow all contingents to march en masse into the closing ceremony. Continue to award medals at the sport venues following competitions.
6. COMMUNICATIONS
Team Yukon was very happy with the information exchange between the Host Society and the Chef’s, and really appreciated how accessible and open to feedback all of the staff and volunteers were throughout the process. No one ever made you feel like we were asking too much and they would always seem to go the extra mile to solve an issue. We also wanted to mention how much we appreciated the level of service provided at the Mission Center, and of course all of the goodies they provided for the mission staff.
The cell phones provided to the mission staff of all contingents were excellent however it would have been perfect if they would have had the ability to dial internationally. This was not practical considering the number of long distance calls you are required to make, and we could have easily been billed for the time accrued on the phones.
Our original plan had cell phones rented for coaches so mission staff could communicate more efficiently throughout the due to the distances between the accommodation units, venues and mission headquarters. This plan fell through at the very last minute but we have learned that this is an essential part of our infrastructure for future games.
Phones, computers and network access were also excellent and the ability to utilize laptops
7 within the mission office was extremely helpful in getting all of our work complete.
Recommendations:
Continue the quality of information exchange between the Host Society and the Chef de Missions. Ensure that all communication systems in place are tested prior to the arrival of the contingents to avoid any problems. Ensure that cell phones provided to the Mission Staff have chargers, voice mail, and long distance/international capabilities. Provide an option for additional cell phone rentals for each contingent. This carrier should be a reliable and reputable company endorsed by the Host Society. Ensure that cell phones are rented for all coaches in future games. Provide photocopiers for the mission offices that have the ability to double side and staple sort. Ensure that fax machines have the ability to group dial with long distance capabilities. Provide a minimum of one desktop computer, and additional lines for network access to hook up laptops. Telephones should have voice mail capabilities, and two phones are preferable. .
7. CULTURAL PROGRAM
Team Yukon sent a group of talented young “break dancers” and they were terrific. In fact, the quality of the performing artists from all of the contingents was amazing and the participants enjoyed their experience very much culminated by a fantastic final presentation. The facilities, professional stages and technical assistance were none like we have ever seen before and very much appreciated. The participants spoke of how they enjoyed to road trips and the opportunity to Jam in Kenai High School where they were around their piers which has been a bit of a disconnect in previous games. Overall a job well done!
Recommendations:
Continue to have the Arts Branch - YTG select our cultural representatives. Maintain the emphasis of culture as an integral part of Team Yukon with continuing work on the technical package which clearly defines the program guidelines and expectations. Continue to provide a central venue(s) for the concerts but also many opportunities throughout the week for the cultural team to perform in front of the athletes and peers, including informal performance opportunities near sites commonly used by athletes.
8 8. FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT
The facilities provided throughout the Peninsula were very impressive and specific comments on each venue follow:
Alpine Skiing The facility and equipment for the event was excellent. It was too bad it was so far away from the accommodation unit.
Badminton Badminton enjoyed their facilities.
Basketball Both teams were happy with their facility however it was a bit far from their accommodation unit.
Biathlon Very nice facility and they liked the opportunity to shoot in the evenings.
Cross Country Skiing They were very happy with the equipment and venue.
Curling The facility, equipment and the people in Homer were fantastic. Our teams enjoyed their experience very much and were overwhelmed by the hospitality on the spit!
Dene Games The facilities were fine, however some of the equipment should be more traditional (i.e. not cut of broom handles for snowsnake).
Dog Mushing All the facilities provided were excellent, and the volunteers did a tremendous job.
Figure Skating The skating facility was excellent. It was nice to have a dedicated facility for this sport.
Gymnastics The equipment was satisfactory, and the delay getting the floor in decreased some practice time.
Hockey The rink at the Sport Centre was great. The rink at Kenai worked out fine, thanks goodness it didn’t get too cold.
9 Indoor Soccer The facility was a bit smaller than expected, and we thought we could have done away with the boards and just used the gym. The smaller field increased the amount of injuries. The ball was also different than expected but everyone adapted.
Inuit Games The facilities was great
Snowboarding The facility and equipment for the event was excellent. It was too bad it was so far away from the accommodation unit.
Snowshoeing The facilities were great and the committee was very well organized.
Speedskating The facility itself was a bit cold and too small. This is a high risk sport and the speed is getting faster and faster. We require a bigger ice surface for Speedskating.
Table Tennis Facility was fine once some adjustments were made to accommodate coaches on the far courts. The teams were also given a practice facility and a lounge to prepare snacks which was appreciated.
Volleyball Facilities were great and our athletes enjoyed the competition.
Generally speaking the mission area and supplies provided were fantastic with more than enough room to conduct morning meetings, store supplies and conduct daily tasks. The location however was too far away for coaches to stop by and pick up information. The fax machine, photocopier, printers and telephone worked great and the volunteers were amazing.
Recommendations:
Continue to combine a variety of sports in one venue or in facilities that are in close proximity to one another as it creates an excellent atmosphere. Ensure that each contingent receives a complete list of equipment that will be used by each sport well in advance of the Games. Continue to ensure that all participating teams are well aware of the field of play specifics well in advance of the Games Continue to ensure that plans are in place to deal with the dog teams as soon as they arrive and that they will be housed in a secure location convenient for the teams to
10 access 24 hours a day. If possible arrange for team hosts for the transportation of hockey equipment, and place the drying rooms close to the athlete’s village.
9. FINANCE
The funding for Team Yukon was a combination of monies from YTG - Sport and Recreation, trials registration fees, Games participation fees and one sponsor. The participants were required to pay a Games participation fee of $350 for athletes/artists and $250 for coaches, chaperones and mission staff. This fee helped cover the all costs associated with Team Yukon. Participants were also provided the opportunity to sell tickets in an Arctic Winter Games raffle, which allocated $1.40 for each $2.00 ticket sold to the seller to offset participation fee. Approximately $35,000 was allocated to participants as a result of ticket sales. Participants in the trials were charged a trials registration fee which varied from $10 - $50 depending upon the specific sport.
Recommendations:
Secure additional sponsorships for the administration and management of Team Yukon. Continue to use the raffle as a means of offsetting the participation cost to the athletes, coaches, chaperones and mission staff. Consider asking each Sport Governing Bodies to cover the cost of their athletes’ participation fees and avoid the problem of Sport Yukon trying to collect it.
10. FORMS AND PUBLICATIONS
The forms and publications utilized by Team Yukon included the following, and were accessible on our web site at www.sportyukon.com
Guidelines for Hosting and Conducting Yukon Trials Sport Trials Schedules / Posters Team Handbook (Code of Conduct) Registration Forms Team Lists Sport Schedules Newsletters Results
11 Recommendations:
The Host Society’s website was great. Continue this quality of service. Continue to use Sport Yukon’s website as a primary source of circulating information. Continue to provide quarterly updates to Sport Yukon membership regarding the AWG
11. INSURANCE
We continue to purchase extended medical insurance for Team Yukon members.
Recommendations:
Continue to purchase extended medical coverage for all members of Team Yukon.
12. MEDIA
The Chef de Mission was designated as the media liaison and had specific responsibilities for the website development. One member on mission staff was assigned the responsibility for the production of all of the newsletters and media releases in addition to specific sport responsibilities. The daily newsletters were provided to all members of Team Yukon, posted on our website, and sent directly to all of the media in Whitehorse, YT every morning. This was very helpful as the results that were posted on the Host Societies site were quite delayed for the first part of the week.
The reports in the Whitehorse Star and Yukon News, Anchorage Daily News were good and appreciated. The radio coverage through CBC, CKRW and CHON was adequate but many people thought the coverage was not as broad based as possible as there were a number of sports that did not receive coverage at all. CBC North, and NBC received good feedback for their television coverage and the Host Society did a nice job of the Ulu News which has quite improved over the last couple of Games.
Recommendations:
Appoint one mission staff as media liaison, and assign newsletter responsibilities. Consider contracting a person for this service. Appoint one mission staff the responsibility of taking photographs of all sports. Consider contracting a person for this service.
12 Continue to use the internet and Host site for access to Games results. Ensure team members and supporters are well aware of all of the avenues to obtain information on the Games. Continue to improve upon the standard of media coverage at the Games. Have the designated media person make proactive contact with media reps and provide information to each on a daily basis. Complete Media Guide in 2008
13. MEDICAL
Overall, the medical services provided were very professional, accessible and appreciated at all venues and the hospital. The odd sport/venue was caught off guard by some of the numbers of injuries that did occur but a quick phone call had more people at the venue ASAP. It is important to ensure that each sport has a risk assessment completed prior to 2008 and sport schedules reflect a proper ordering of event to minimize the risks in a sport like Dene Games.
The issue of preventative taping is a tricky one and a decision must be made on who is responsible for providing this service at the Games. If it is the precedent for future Host Societies to only tape injuries that occur at the Games then the Yukon would consider taking an athletic therapist on Mission Staff to support the teams.
Recommendations:
Ensure that all procedures to access medical treatment are clearly understood by all parties well in advance of the Games. Ensure that there are appropriate medical personnel at all venues. Ensure that all medical records are on site, or available on the database. Do not allow athletes to access medical treatment without the presence of coaches, chaperones or mission staff. Appoint one mission staff as the medical liaison, with the responsibility of taping, if not offered by the Host Society. Ensure to provide medical information at the morning Chef meetings.
14. REGISTRATION AND ACCREDITATION
The registration process seemed to work well and all team members appreciated one set of consolidated forms that were prepared by Sport Yukon. It is still a massive effort to enter every participant registration from hard copy forms but that task was completed by all of the Mission
13 Staff this year. I think we are now in a position to allow the participants to register on line themselves and then have the Chef de Mission or designate verify the information before it goes live. This would certainly cut down a lot of the workload and the system is quite capable of handling this.
The accreditation process upon arrival was great and appreciated with all of the goodies however I am not sure if it is necessary to have the kids check in to pick up their tags when the majority of them are complete and could just be handed to the coaches upon arrival.
Recommendations:
Continue to use the current registration system, but allow the participants to register on line themselves. Continue to consolidate all forms required for the participant registration but ensure the orders of questions are the same on both media. Continue to submit digital pictures for the accreditations process on line. Continue to have accreditation tags sorted by team sport. Provide all tags to the Chef de Mission who will make arrangement to get them to the athletes upon arrival. Continue to hand out sleeping bags with the welcome kits.
15. RESULTS
The overall web-based results system was great and it is nice touch to have the athletes biographies linked to the system.
The process for getting results in Dene and Inuit Games however was a nightmare. The officials were very reluctant to post results while the events were taking place and blatantly error-ed in marking down the correct distances in the Snowsnake which resulted in individuals getting medals they didn’t deserve. This has to be sorted out for 2008 as it is not fair for the participants Some simple suggestions are to post distances on a flip chart right after throws or jumps so everyone is aware if where they stand. It is also important to fill in the tournament brackets immediately following the match in events such like Finger Pull, Stick Pull, Pole Push and Hand Games so coaches and athletes know where they stand in the competition and can prepare effectively.
We would appreciate a CD with all of the final results upon completion of the Games.
Recommendations:
14 Continue to utilize the current results system with emphasis on the systems ability to handle the anticipated traffic. Continue to utilize the internet for results. Confirm in advance with the Chefs that the presentation of results satisfies all team requirements. Provide a CD with all of the results to each contingent following the Games. Fix the results system for Dene and Inuit Games once and for all!
16. SECURITY
Overall the security was fantastic. There was excellent coverage at all sites, high visibility at the venues and around the community. They were extremely helpful in responding to questions and concerns at all times, and took the security of the athletes as priority one. We were very appreciative of their presence at the Dance and their persistence that athletes have their accreditation present at all time. Also, the “Sunshine Boys” made the Games lots of fun!
Recommendations:
Ensure presence of City Police, RCMP or local authority on the security committee. It is important that we access their expertise. Continue to use paid security staff that work with the volunteers. Security staff must be well trained. Security must be in place to prevent all unauthorized persons from entering the dorms. Male and female sleeping areas must be separated. Same sex security should be implemented at the dorms. Ensure that the security is monitored throughout the week and changes are made as necessary.
17. SOCIAL PROGRAMS
There always seems to be a number of activities offered at the Games that unfortunately are not taken advantage of because of the complexities of sport schedules, transportation schedules, and distances of venues. We did received lots of compliments on the dance and the fireworks, but many of the athletes mentioned that there was little or no social programming at their venue, especially upon their arrival.
Recommendations:
15 Plan to make available a large Internet Café or series of smaller areas. Plan to make available a series of passive and active lounges near or at the accommodation units. Continue with a dance but many suggest a live band or a series of bands.
18. SPORTS
Each sport provided feedback at the 2006 AWG Sport Evaluation Meetings. There was also a number of Sport Governing Bodies that sent information directly to our International Committee representatives within the 2008 Sport Selection Information package.
Here are some other comments for inclusion:
Alpine Skiing The courses were good but basic. They were shorter and less difficult than they needed to be. The coaches meeting was difficult to find, no location or signage and some contingents never made it.
Basketball Things were organized and ran smoothly. Would like to see an additional age category and an increase in team size.
Biathlon Things went well. It was a very nice facility and they liked the opportunity to shoot in the evenings.
Cross Country Skiing They were pleased with the whole setup and how close everything was to the accommodation unit. Would like to add an additional coach for future Games.
Curling Homer embraced curling, the community rocked!
Dene Games The event order was good There is a need for more officials and they need to be unbiased and open to suggestions. The pole push should be a high risk event.
16 Dog Mushing Things went very well.
Figure Skating Very organized but scheduling early morning practices and late night competitions do not make for optimum performances by they athletes. Sufficient time must be allotted for warm-up and music rotation for all athletes must be given during practices.
Gymnastics The late arrival of the floor caused problems with practice schedule. The sport should include men in the upcoming Games
Hockey Midget hockey should have a double round or at least a semi-final if only 4 teams participate.
Table Tennis Very well organized, but we would like to see either Junior or Juvenile scheduled differently (i.e. in the am or pm then switch so kids do not spend all day at the venue.)
Snowboarding There were comments on whether or not the judges had the required experience certification to be event officials. The courses were good but basic. They were shorter and less difficult than they needed to be.
Snowshoeing Nice location, great job by the organizers with so few people.
Soccer Would like to see rotation of age groups within the sport, and an increase in team size.
Speedskating Needs a bigger ice surface to improve safety and minimize injuries in future Games.
Volleyball A nice venue and things ran very well.
Officials
17 The Yukon sent 21 officials representing the sports of Basketball, Curling, Dene Games, Gymnastics, Hockey, Snowshoeing, Soccer, and Speedskating and Table Tennis.
There were a number of other sports that were quite disappointed that they did not have the opportunity to send individuals as they believe that it is an important part of the AWG mandate.
The whole process of official recruitment was rather confusing, and extremely time consuming. Team Yukon was originally under the impression that requests for officials were to come from the Host Society, through the Chef de Mission and then out to their respective Sport Governing Bodies so everyone was aware of the requirements. This was not the case and individuals were contacted without the Chefs or the respective sport body’s knowledge adding to the confusion. In the end things worked out however this process had to be improved for the future or it will be difficult to find people interested in attending.
Some of the officials felt like they were treated well at the Games, and others not. I guess it was dependant on the venue/accommodation location and the experience of the people from the organizing committee. In most cases people enjoyed themselves and the opportunity to support the athletes through competition.
Recommendations:
Sport schedules and practice schedules should appear in a consistent format. All schedules should be finalized at least one month prior to the Games; prior to that they should reflect the date so we know what draft we are working from. Continue to improve officiating standards and the recruitment process for officials at the Games. Ensure the officials feel that they have been scheduled appropriately thought-out the competition.
20. TRANSPORTATION
External The Yukon Territorial Government contracted four 737’s from Air North to transport Team Yukon directly from Whitehorse to Kenai. All flights worked out extremely well.
Internal This was a huge undertaking but seemed to work fairly well although patchy at times. The more dedicated the service the better and if there was a problem a quick phone call to dispatch seemed to get things back on track. At first there was a bit of confusion as to what loop to take for the shortest route to a particular venue or accommodation unit but the athletes figured that out soon
18 enough. We might suggest a loop that included a shopping mall, grocery store, or gathering place for future Games to consider.
Ceremonies Transportation to the opening ceremony was fine although the athletes complained of how long they had to stay on the buses. Transportation from the opening back to the accommodation units went well. The closing ceremony was a different story as there were a number of athletes left at Sky View High School and missed half of the ceremony.
Arrival Having the coaches and athletes only handle their luggage at the accommodation venue works the best. All luggage was loaded into cube vans right off the airplane and transported directly to each of the schools where the athletes picked up. VIP’s, parents and supporters claimed their luggage after clearing customs which worked fine.
Departure Departure from the Sport Centre to the airport worked fine. We were lucky enough to leave relatively compared to most contingents and had little time to wait around. Early secured airline check in at the accommodation units was very much appreciated so all the teams had were their carryon for the remainder of the day.
Mission Team Yukon very much appreciated the two vehicles provided from the Host and rented an additional 12 vehicles form Avis so that everyone on mission staff had access to a vehicle.
Recommendations:
That each contingent work independently to establish which form of external travel works best for them, but work with the Host Society to determine arrival and departure times. Consider renting vehicles for each member of Mission Staff. Continue to use coach vs. school bus transportation if at all possible. Ensure there is sufficient transportation to and from practice and all competition sites. Ensure all buses are clearly marked as to what route they are working. Utilize public transportation systems if possible. Transport all luggage/equipment from airport to accommodation units or competition site where team members will pick-up. Consider supplying baggage tags for arrivals and departure.
21. WELCOMING AND SEND-OFF
19 Things went very much according to plan and the volunteers did an excellent job of making the athletes feel quite special upon their arrival.
Recommendations:
The Welcome and Send-Off doesn’t have to be elaborate but it is important that it doesn’t go unnoticed. Continue to provide welcome packages and sleeping bags if possible.
22. TEAM SELECTION PROCESS
Once the AWG International Committee announces the sports that are involved in the upcoming Games, Sport Yukon then distributes the following to the Sport Governing Bodies: Guidelines for Hosting and Conducting Trials, Team Handbooks outlining the Conduct and Discipline Codes, Technical Packages, and Mission Staff Applications.
The Sport Yukon Games Committee presented new guidelines for the 2006 Team Yukon Trials which was a culmination of over a year work of consulting with the Sport Govering Bodies in the Territory. More work will be done to further develop the document for 2008.
The Sport Governing Bodies are essentially responsible for all aspects of the trials, and for advising Sport Yukon of the specifics of the trial. This includes information on the assigned coaches, the athlete selection process, and the appeals process put in place for challenges to selections.
At the same time Sport Yukon Games Committee reviews all of the mission staff applications and makes recommendations to the Minister for appointment.
The sport trial(s) then occur and the appropriate training squads or teams are named.
23. ARCTIC WINTER GAMES INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE
It is evident that this committee plays a significant role in the success of the Arctic Winter Games, and we appreciate all of their support along the way. We feel the members of the International Committee have been willing to listen to any significant concerns, and are faced with some very difficult decisions from year to year. There still is however a number of sports those are frustrated with the process for change and feel that their concerns or general recommendations are not properly considered. Our hope is to work together to eliminate those
20 unfortunate feelings through better communication.
Many of the sports are questioning the valve of the Sport Evaluation Meetings at the Games. A number of these meetings occur before the competition is even complete and in some cases our coaches cannot attend. You would be better served by moving these meetings until after the competition, and in some cases all you may here are the views of those particular coaches and not really the position of the Sport Governing Body so it is important to weigh that appropriately.
The addition of categories (or) individuals and skipped generation are all important issues here in the Yukon. I leave it to you to discuss these as they emerge however many sports would like the opportunity to be involved in a rotational system that would allow their sport to have an additional category from one year to the next.
The Fair Play pins are a really nice touch and the new approach is great; however, all cards should be turned in the Chef de Mission of that contingent, not the media. It is also important to reiterate that all pins do not have to be given out. It really takes away from the significance of the award if they are not earned.
The Hodgson Trophy is truly a great award and a lot of time is spent by our mission staff making sure all ballots are submitted, so it would be nice if the International Committee could provide each contingent with the final voting statistics.
The formal reception provided by the International Committee is very much appreciated. It provides a forum for the mission staff to meet the other contingents and recognizes the tremendous efforts of everyone involved. However, we did receive feedback that it may or not be appropriate to receive an ulu as it is a symbol that the athletes work so hard to acquire. It is great to recognize the substantial amount of work that Mission Staff put in prior to and during the Games but it may be more appropriate to use a different symbol.
Finally, the monthly conference calls are a great means of providing everyone with information they require and allows the Host Society immediate feedback on important issues. The Technical Director does a great job of chairing all of these meetings in addition to the morning meetings at the Games.
21 2004 ARCTIC WINTER GAMES
UNIT INVOLVEMENT SUMMARY
TEAM YUKON
Participation Summary Regional Trials Games Athletes 553 270 Coaches/Chaperones 85 61 Mission Staff 14 14 Sport Officials 45 21 Total 697 366 Communities Involved 12 9 Aboriginal Athletes Involved 132 67 Males Athletes Involved 277 144 Female Athletes Involved 248 126
Summary by Sport Sport Regional Trials Games Alpine Skiing 8 10 Arctic Sports - Inuit Games 10 9 Arctic Sports - Dene Games 29 18 Badminton 19 10 Basketball 49 23 Biathlon - Ski 6 8 Biathlon - Snowshoe 6 8 Cross Country Skiing 35 26 Curling 15 11 Dog Mushing 7 8 Figure Skating 17 9 Gymnastics 7 6 Bantam Hockey 33 19 Midget Hockey 34 19 Jr. Women’s Hockey 32 20 Snowboarding 25 10 Snowshoeing 10 10 Soccer - Juvenile Male 43 9 Soccer - Juvenile Female 40 9 Soccer - Junior Male 28 9 Soccer - Junior Female 10 10 Soccer - Intermediate 8 10
22 Speedskating 14 12 Table Tennis 8 10 Volleyball 42 22 Wrestling 10 6 Culture 8 10 Totals 553 331
2004 ARCTIC WINTER GAMES
SUMMARY OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES
TEAM YUKON
Summary of Revenue and Expenditures (Games and Trials)
REVENUE EXPENDITURES
Federal Contribution - Travel $ 100,000 Transportation $ 247,000
YTG – Sport & Recreation Branch $ 247,000 Accommodations/Meals $ 5,000 Contract - $100,000 Travel - $147,000
Donations $ 2,500 Clothing and Accessories $ 110,000
Participant Contribution $ 75,000 Facility Rental/Receptions $ 4,000 Games - $70,000 Pep-Rally Trials - $5,000
Sales $ 40,000 Sport Officials $ 1,000 Raffle - $40,000
Other $ 10,000 Administration $ 95,000 Sale of Seats (Supporters) - $10,000 Other Raffle - $9,000 $ 9,000
Total $ 474,500 Total $ 471,000
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