ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015 OUR HIGHLIGHTS Podium Success 2014 Sport North Award Winners At the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince Congratulations to all the 2014 Sport North George, BC, Team NWT won silver in the award winners. The bar set for athletes, men’s over 100 KG category in Judo. N’Dilo’s volunteers and sponsors continues to grow Brent Betsina brought NWT its first medal since higher and higher each year. Congratulations 2007. to the following athletes, volunteers and sponsors: Seven Inducted into the Youth Athlete of the Year NWT Sport Hall of Fame Darius Andre Sport North welcomed seven new members Madison McPhee to the NWT Sport Hall of Fame. The 1994 Team NWT Junior Men’s Curling Team, Robin Clegg Junior Athlete of the Year Brent Betsina and Laurell Graf were all honoured at a Rayna Vittrekwa special ceremony in November. Senior Athlete of the Year New Strategic Plan for 2014-2019 Johnnie Bowden With the next five years ahead, Sport North Alea Stockton has restructured their Strategic Plan for Team of the Year 2014-2019. The plan includes four pillars: NWT Rebels Broomball participation, excellence, capacity and interaction. It is through these pillars that Sport Ruth Inch Memorial Contributor to Sport Paul Gard North will strive to be the recognized leader in sport development and will ensure that Delma Kisoun Memorial Community opportunities in sport are accessible to all Contributor residents of the Northwest Territories. Roslyn Firth Dennis Crane Memorial Official of the Year Glen Meehan Coach of the Year Mario DesForges Corporate Contributor of the Year Canadian Tire Store #453 SPORT NORTH – ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015 2 MINISTER’S MESSAGE As Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA), I would like to thank the Sport North Federation and its Territorial Sport Organizations for your efforts to provide opportunities for northerners to lead active and healthy lives. I would like to thank the many volunteers who contribute their time, talent and energy to the recreation and sport system. The work you do is important to the well-being of our youth, the growth of the sport system and our collective efforts to build healthier communities in the Northwest Territories (NWT). I extend my congratulations to all the athletes, coaches, managers and mission staff of the 2015 Canada Winter Games Looking forward, planning and preparations in Prince George, British Columbia. These for the 2015 Western Canada Summer games were very successful and provided Games, which take place August 7 to 16, tremendous opportunity for youth to 2015, in Regional Municipality of Wood experience the excitement of a multi-sport Buffalo, Alberta, have already begun. event. Planning for the 2016 Arctic Winter Games During the past year, the Sport North in Nuuk, Greenland, and the 2016 Arctic Federation has continued its efforts to lead X Games in Whitehorse, Yukon, is also a variety of equally important initiatives: underway. I would like to wish all the best to KidSport, a charitable foundation, provided the athletes, coaches and officials who will disadvantaged youth the chance to represent Team NWT at these Games. participate in sports; the National Coaching Please accept my best wishes to Sport North, Certification Program offered quality training the Territorial Sport Organizations and your to aspiring coaches; and your Awards many volunteers for continued success. I program helped to honour the very best encourage you to look for ways to broaden athletes, coaches, officials and leaders from programs so that even more people can our territory. These initiatives are important participate in sport in the future. elements of sport programming in the NWT. Thank you, They also contribute greatly to our goal of improving the daily lives of people in our communities. Robert C. McLeod Minister, Municipal and Community Affairs SPORT NORTH – ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015 3 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE As we enter the spring of 2015, the last events of the winter sports have wound down and the spring sports are beginning with great anticipation. Soon our award banquet will be upon us, and committed athletes and volunteers will be deservingly honoured. I continue to be most appreciative of the quality and commitment of our volunteers. Each and every one of our TSOs should be celebrated for the contribution they make. We in the Northwest Territories are blessed to have a cadre of volunteers who are so committed to provide opportunities in sport for people of all ages and localities. I am proud to be a part of this extraordinary community. While our developing athletes maintain their Finally, I would like to thank our sponsors, staff, engagement in and enjoyment of sport, our the Board of Directors and our TSOs for their elite athletes continue to impress. None of ongoing efforts on behalf of people of all these athletes would have attained their ages and needs. They are highly committed achievements without long-term support and I commend their spirit, industry and from their TSOs and families. In my view, passion. It has been a privilege to have served our volunteer coaches, officials and sport this extraordinary sport community. Together administrators are second to none. we will work with continued determination to While the focus of the Federation is on sport, enhance the opportunities for participation we recognize that other organizations are and achievement in sport for people of all involved in recreation and related activities. ages and locations through the NWT. Enhanced communication and collaboration has been a goal of the Federation. We have continued to meet, both formally and informally, with the territorial government and our partners in an attempt to enhance Maureen Miller goodwill, trust and work towards attaining President, Sport North Federation mutual goals. We recognize the contribution of our partner organizations, and will continue to play our part to work together with other stakeholders to foster a real spirit of inclusiveness and sector harmony. The staff and Board has begun the process of implementing our Strategic Plan, which has involved and received input from all our Territorial Sport Organizations. SPORT NORTH – ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015 4 ABOUT SPORT NORTH The Sport North Federation was incorporated Board of Directors in October 1976 to assist in the promotion The Sport North Federation is governed by and development of amateur sport in the a Board whose members and president are Northwest Territories. appointed by the Federation’s members, the Mission Territorial Sport Organizations. The Board is responsible for setting Sport North’s strategic Sport North represents the Territorial Sport direction and providing governance and Organizations of the Northwest Territories. leadership for the Federation. We are dedicated to the development of sport at every level of participation in the The following members sit on the 2014-2015 Northwest Territories. Board of Directors: • Maureen Miller, President (Yellowknife) Vision • Ryan Fequet, Vice-President (Yellowknife) • Elaine Keenan-Bengts (Yellowknife) Sport North Federation will be the recognized • John Brennan (Yellowknife) leader in sport development and will ensure • Theresa Ross (Inuvik) that opportunities in sport, based on fair play, • Les Skinner (Inuvik) are accessible to all residents of the NWT. • Tim VanOverliw (Yellowknife) Values • James Wong (Yellowknife) At Sport North, we value: Sport North Staff Integrity: Applying our policies and Our team at Sport North is led by Exectuive procedures in a consistent, fair and Director Doug Rentmeister. We then have: transparent manner. • Sport Manager – Bill Othmer Responsibility: Meeting our obligations to our • Finance Manager – Joan Kuang members and partners. • Marketing and Communication Coordinator – Melanie Kornacki Fairness: Free from bias, dishonesty, or • Sport Consultant – Rita Bertolini injustice. At Sport North we also house three sport Honesty: The quality of being truthful and Executive Directors: trustworthy. • Executive Director NWT Gymnastics, Hockey Respect: Reflecting the values which we seek NWT and NWT Kayaking – Spider Jones to instill in our children and youth. • Executive Director NWT Curling and Softball Excellence: Demonstrating high standards in NWT – Kyle Kugler all areas of our organization. • Executive Director NWT Boardsports, NWT Soccer and NWT Volleyball – Lyric Sandhals Responsibility: Something for which one is responsible; a duty, obligation, or burden. SPORT NORTH – ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015 5 WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED TOGETHER Total Members – 27,006 Sachs Harbour Inuvik 65 1,688 Aklavik 277 Tuktoyaktuk 310 Ulukhaktok Fort McPherson 74 228 Paulatuk 68 Tsiigehtchic Colville Lake 119 132 Fort Good Hope 226 Tulita 305 Dél˛neı 246 Norman Wells 572 Wrigley 46 Gamètì Wekweètì 162 70 Fort Simpson Yellowknife Behchokò˛ 722 14,487 Wha Tì 703 Nahanni Butte 185 Dettah/N’Dilo 12 193 Jean Marie River Łutsel K’e 36 90 Fort Liard 151 Fort Resolution 211 Trout Lake Kakisa 122 Hay River Fort Smith 27 3,15 4 1,762 Fort Providence 832 437 Enterprise Hay River Reserve 16 110 740 Gender Breakdowns 555 565 416 327 15,022 12,074 Membership Coaches Officials Volunteers SPORT NORTH – ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015 6 PARTICIPATION With increased collaboration, partnerships make a difference in our communities. The and resources within the sport system, Sport aim was to increase knowledge and skills in North has helped to create a system that is coaches, teachers, parents and youth to inclusive for sport in the Northwest Territories. prevent concussions and head injuries as well Sport North manages several programs that as identify collaborative actions to increase identify and address barriers to ensure all awareness of ways to prevent concussions have an opportunity to participate. and head injuries. Opportunities offered throughout the year KidSport grants provide financial assistance have included a Concussion Café, KidSport for registration fees and equipment to kids and ParticipACTION grants, coaching clinics aged 18 and under. Through a confidential and a partnership with the Canadian Sport application process, KidSport provides grants for Life (CS4L) University.