Colleagues, last session, I spoke about a startup Basketball Program in Fort Liard. Today, I would like to add to the story.
Corbin Wilson is a 17-year-old Fort Liard student who was selected to play on the Basketball NWT team that travelled to the Nationals tournament held in Toronto in August. This is quite an accomplishment for Corbin who started to play basketball regularly less than a year ago. He was one of a group of boys who began playing on the Fort Liard outside court and with one hoop back in the summer of 2023. The boys evolved into the Fort Liard Warriors, Fort Liard's first organized basketball team in many years, which gained players as the 2023-24 season went on.
As the closest community is Fort Nelson, British Columbia, their first tournaments were played there. The school principal and teachers in Fort Nelson were immensely supportive in encouraging and contributed volunteer coaches when the Warriors had no coaches to travel with them. Corbin displayed excellent playing skills and leadership early on and became the Warriors team captain.
MACA sponsored a regional travel basketball clinic in the fall of 2023 and Fort Liard was fortunate to have a coach come in. Fort Liard's recreation was able to bring the same coach back in the spring of 2024 which further developed the players' skills and prepared them for the annual Wolf Pack Tournament that was held in Fort Simpson.
In May 2024, him and four of his teammates travelled to the basketball NWT nationals and Canadian Summer Games selection camp and Corbin was chosen as the first alternate for the team.
With strong family support, he was able to attend the YK training camp for the whole month of July where he impressed the coaches with his dedication and hard work. He moved from an alternate to a full-fledged team member within a couple of weeks. In the end he was able to fully experience the national tournament in Toronto, truly a life-changing opportunity.
Corbin's family and the community rallied to fundraise for him through activities like Chase the Ace and Jail and Bail, and the hamlet council donated to his considerable costs. Corbin also participated fully in team fundraising activities while at the training camp in Yellowknife.
As Corbin completes his grade 12 this coming year, he will continue to play on the Fort Liard Warriors team and has committed to coaching young youth to help grow the basketball program. Thank you, Corbin, it is great to see young people pay it back. Thank you very much.
