Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This past weekend I had an opportunity to become a fan of a tournament that I’d been part of growing up in Inuvik and participating in the NWT Senior Cager Basketball tournament. While I was watching the tournament, it was great to see all the kids having a good time and seeing the teamwork, the great camaraderie amongst teammates and the teams playing each other.
Just in regard to following up with last week’s Education Week and all the hard work that our educators do, what I noticed was sitting on the benches with the kids was a lot of teachers who were also coaches. Some of these coaches are also parents back home.
Today I just want to take the time to recognize and acknowledge all the hard work and dedicated staff that we have in the Department of Education that also provide a lot of time and services to community projects and developing students outside of the classroom in such sports as basketball, and all the effort that they put into making this past weekend a success, and giving these kids the opportunity to experience such a great basketball tournament.
Not only was it the coaches, but also the volunteers, parents, referees that spent a lot of time all weekend, from early in the morning until late at night, to make sure these kids had a great time, had a safe and fun weekend, and also made a lot of new friends.
My experience with the tournament is when kids come in, it enhances them in so many different areas. It enhances new coaching techniques for the coaches and the teachers that do come and participate in the event. It allows the participants to make lifelong friends. It also helps these student athletes develop life skills through leadership, through strategic planning, through team play, through respect, and also building sportsmanship among one another. This is great. The tournament has been very amazing in that it allows to build these life skills in our youth.
In closing, it was a great event, very successful, and I just want to congratulate all the teams from the communities that came into Yellowknife, and thank Yellowknife for being a great host for such a great tournament.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
