Good afternoon, Members. Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending the Paul Stipdonk Memorial Soccer Tournament. It was the second time since the pandemic they cancelled the previous tournaments. As I stated previously in this House, this tournament is a bit unique in that they don't keep score, teams are mixed up, and we do not have winners or losers. The focus is on the youth having fun and playing the sport; something that the namesake was all about.
Besides playing the sport, the youth are given the opportunity to attend a skills competition event on Saturday. This year, we had athletes from Yellowknife, Fort Providence, and Fort Simpson. They were great sportsmen and ambassadors of their respective communities. It was amazing to see all those smiling faces and the fun that they had over the weekend. I am proud to say the Fort Simpson athletes were great hosts and really enjoyed the games as they made new friends from the region and the territories. I am proud to say that parents and families of the athletes, whether they were from the community or from out of town, did an amazing job cheering and encouraging the youth. It was awesome to see the stands and the small hall full of supporters.
A special shout goes to the Mackenzie Recreation Association, Municipal and Community Affairs, the village of Fort Simpson recreation staff who kept the facility nice and clean, and most importantly Kali Norn and Jackie Whelly who dedicated many hours organizing and making sure the event ran smoothly.
To the speed skating moms, thank you for catering the whole weekend.
I would like to thank the Fort Simpson high performance athletes, especially Amaria Tanche Hanna and Gina Hardisty, for being the coaches of the teams, helpers, and being great role models to the youth. It was great to see this capacity being built. I take great pride when I see younger athletes paying back to the sport.
In closing, I would like to say a big thank you to the Stipdonk family for letting us to honour their husband, dad, grandfather, and my friend in a way that brings so many smiles to the youth. Thank you.
Members' statements. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
