Author Archives: TT NORTH

As the new year approaches, it is appropriate for us to take a look back at the year that has just wrapped up. Table Tennis North has been busy growing and promoting our sport throughout the Territory this year. We began the year with trials for the Arctic Winter Games team in Fort Providence. Between the trials and the AWGs in March, several warm-up tournaments and clinics were held in Hay River, Yellowknife and Fort Providence. The team that was chosen had a great time in Nuuk, Greenland in March and one of our girls doubles teams brought home a silver medal!

After returning from the games, we invited Steve Rowe to come to the NWT to introduce Aerobic Table Tennis to our youth and coaches. We coupled his training with another tournament in April.

In November and December we were able to run clinics in several schools in Yellowknife, Lutsel’ke and Gam’eti. We also hosted a Middle and High School tournament and an Open tournament in Yellowknife in November.

Our initiative to get a mini-table into every community in the North is on-going but going well. In the upcoming year we plan to continue to visit communities in the NWT to administer clinics and have mini-tournaments. We are also looking ahead to the 2018 AWGs which are being hosted in Hay River and Fort Smith.

I’d like to thank outgoing Board member Mike Johnston and outgoing President of the Board, Jim Snider for their dedication and direction over the past year. Jim, in particular, has been instrumental in building the sport over the past few years. Thank you also to Thorsten Gohl. He is the brains and the brawn behind Table Tennis North. If not for his hard work organizing, securing funding, training athletes and coaching, none of the work I mentioned above could have been done.

Jeremy Kielstra, President
Table Tennis North

The 2017 Territorial Championships will be hosted from January 27-29th 2017 at Deh Gah School in Fort Providence.

Timeline

Friday, January 27th 2017
J18 Doubles
C15 Doubles
Junior Mixed Doubles

Saturday, January 28th 2017
J18 Singles
C15 Singles
Senior Open Singles
H13 Singles
Senior Open Doubles

Sunday, January 29th 2017
J18, C15, H13 Single/Doubles Play Offs and Finals

Categories

Junior 18 Boys, Girls Singles/Doubles (J18 – born 1999 or later)
Cadet 15 Girls, Boys Singles/Doubles (C15 – born 2002 or later)
Hopes 13 Boys, Girls Singles (H13 – born 2004 or later)
Senior Open Singles Women/Men
Senior Open Doubles

Each athlete can participate in 2 single and 2 double events.

Fee

There is a $15 per category fee to participate in the tournament. That does not include accommodation and food for the weekend.

Accommodation & Food

If you like to stay at the school, please contact us. There will be no additional fee. We can arrange food at the school, what will be an additional $75 per person for the full weekend (Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, lunch, dinner, Sunday breakfast, lunch).

Table Tennis Rules

Depending on participants, we will play best out of 3 or best out of 5. We will follow the rules of the International Table Tennis Federation. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] and we will be happy to help you.

ITTF Rules: http://www.ittf.com/ittf_handbook/hb.asp?s_number=2

Deadline for registration is January 20th 2017. For registration, please send and e-mail to [email protected] with the following information: First Name, Last Name, Community, Birth Date and mention what 2 single categories and 1 double category you want to participate in. Also, please let us know if you want to stay at the school and/or want to eat at the school.

If you have any more questions, please contact [email protected]. Thank you! We are looking forward to seeing you in Fort Providence on January 27th 2017!!!

Table Tennis North visited Łutsel K’e and Whati for a Table Tennis Youth Tour in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories. Colinda Blondin, North Slave Youth Coordinator for MACA took Table Tennis North and Thor into the communities.

Thor, Executive Director Table Tennis North, has definitely been excited about this and says “Table Tennis is a great sport for smaller communities, so easy to set up, young kids can play it, elders can, beginners and professionals. I love to see the kids smiles, especially the younger ones when they try to balance the balloon or challenge each others in teams doing relays. AND, there are already so many kids with some amazing Table Tennis skills already!!! A huge thank you to MACA and Colinda for having us.”

Lutsel K’e will try and bring some kids to the Territorial Championships hosted January 27-29th 2017 in Fort Providence.

Colinda Blondin, MACA Regional Youth Programs & Volunteer Officer for the North Slave Region, “I enjoy seeing an interest build in the kids. A big curiosity factor with anything and I love how Table Tennis can play a part of that. So great to have another way of reaching the kids.”

We want to say a big “Thank You!” for having us on this tour to the NWT Department of Municipal and Community Affairs and their North Slave Regional Youth Coordinator Colinda Blondin.

Łutsel K’e

Whatì

First of all a big thank you to Elaine and “Up Here” magazine in featuring us in their December issue. A wonderful article to support our vision to promote and develop an active, healthy and fun environment with the sport of Table Tennis in the Northwest Territories.

One huge supporter of Table Tennis in the Northwest Territories is Principal of Deh Gah School in Fort Providence, Lois Phillip. “It’s about creating opportunities and creating a safe space,” says Lois. “A safe space where kids can be kids.” And that is what we are trying to do with Fort Providence, and also bring our multi seasonal sport into other communities, creating those same opportunities and fun, safe spaces. 

Once we reach the communities, it is about keeping involved. One hopes by being constant, being the role models that we can be, it will make a difference in their lives.  “I must say, I’m a dreamer and crazy sometimes,” Gohl says. “I said when I came here, in a year’s time, I want to do 20 communities.” He made his move to Fort Providence in September 2015, and while 20 may have been a lofty goal, he’s already hit 11.

We will definitely hit 20 communities by the end of our 2 year anniversary as a Territorial Sport Organization, but more important, we want to go back to those communities as much as we can, support them how ever possible, and see the sport grow in participation, with increased health and focus with time for all ages. 

HERE is the full article. If you want, pick up a hard copy and/or order the magazine on UP HERE’s website.

Story by Elaine Anselmi
Photography by Thorsten Gohl

Table Tennis North visited the Yellowknife Table Tennis Club this Sunday, November 20th 2016. It was great to see so many players come out and having fun playing Table Tennis.

Contact: (867) 444-8531 (Vincent – text for further information)

There is limited spaces, so please contact us for more information and we can get you in touch with the right person.

Arctic Winter Games Silver Medalist Tamara Jovic stopped by 101.1 The Moose FM, to give ‘The Wheel’ a few pointers.

Have a look at the fun video inside Moose FM’s board room.

Tamara Jovic was very excited about this, “That was fun! My first ever time in a radio station and I was even able to choose a song afterwards. Plus, it will be a great weekend of Table Tennis ahead of me!”

Tamara playing with Jesse on the Board Meeting table. FUN TIMES!!!

Tamara inside the studio, getting ready for her interview.

Weledeh Catholic School and Table Tennis North hosted the 2016 NWT School Table Tennis Championships in Yellowknife on Sat. November 26th. 

The idea was very simple, play as many matches as possible. Therefore, organizers decided to create 2 big Round Robins,  mixed boys and girls, grades 6 and 7, one group, and grades 8 to 12, the other. The winners of each grade were decided by the overall ranking of their group. 

Undefeated, in not just their own grade, but the entire tournament, were Cole Clinton (6, 7) and Brian Liang (8-12) The youngest athlete, Zakary Mathieson (Grade 2) was undefeated, even among the Grade 6 players. That made him the gold medalist! 

Here are the results by Grades.

Grade 6 Boys

Zachary Mathison – Weledeh
Lennox Mutford – William Mac Donald
Adam Clinton – Allain St-Cyr

Grade 6 Girls

Natasha Zoe – Weledeh

Grade 7 Boys

Cole Clinton – Allain St-Cyr
Darius Moosenose – Weledeh

Grade 7 Girls

Amy Bestina – Weledeh
Therese Coyen – Weledeh
Jaylin Hamilton – Weledeh

Grade 8 Girls

India Edwards-Lowen – St. Patrick

Grade 9 Boys

Louis Phillipe Cloutier – Allain St-Cyr

Grade 9 Girls

Aurora Frasor – St. Patrick

Grade 10 Boys 

Brian Liang – Sir John Franklin
Anthony Wood – Allain St-Cyr

Grade 10 Girls

Tamara Jovic – Sir John Franklin

Grade 12 Boys 

Adrian Litao – St. Patrick
Sebastian Toner – St. Patrick
Justin Uson – St. Patrick

Grade 12 Girls

Katrina Deneron – Thomas Simpson

 Ava was named the “Fair Play Award Winner” for her positive attitude and encouragement for her team mates and others, as well as, finding the time to umpire matches. Katrina and Ava also received the “Most Improved Players award, showing up early for practice, enthusiastically giving their best. 

Most improved player award

Katrina Deneron – Thomas Simpson
Natasha Zoe – Weledeh

Fair Play Award

Ava Erasmus – Thomas Simpson

Jeremy Kielstra, President of Table Tennis North, was excited about the tournament. “Table Tennis North has had a successful few weeks running programming for youth here over the last couple of weeks. Things culminated with a tournament on Saturday. I think this was a great event for the sport and will encourage involvement in Table Tennis moving forward. Thank you to Thor for organizing and executing the events over the past weeks in Yellowknife. Thanks also to Ulli Nolting for helping out wherever needed.”

“It has been an amazing event, everything worked out perfectly” says Executive Director, Thor about the workshops and tournament this past weekend. He adds, “The kids got to play a lot of matches, even the parents used the opportunity to play on the tables that were available. The kids actually improved a lot in just that one day. Table Tennis rocks!!!”

We are looking forward to the 2017 Territorial Championships hosted in Fort Providence from January 27th to 29th 2017. See you there!?

Weledeh Catholic School in Yellowknife was the host of the 2016 Yellowknife Table Tennis Open. A beautiful gym, set up with 8 professional Table Tennis tables and 11 excited players to participant in the tournament.

“We only had 6 medals, but really, EVERYONE was a WINNER”, a very nice comment by Table Tennis North Executive Director Thor Gohl. With a big smile on his face he continuous “This was our first ever Table Tennis tournament in Yellowknife as a Territorial Sport Organization. Loosing or winning, everyone had fun. Actually winning or almost winning is a better way to describe it.”

Men’s Open 

1. Davor
2. Denis
3. Jeremy Kielstra

Women’s Open

1. Akiko Iwase
2. Shirley Zhang
3. Slavica Jovic

Thank you so very much for everyone coming out for a fun evening of Table Tennis and supporting our Territorial Organization!

It was a very exciting time for Table Tennis North when Doug Rentmeister, Executive Director of Sport North, came for a visit to Sir John High School. He observed the clinic that coach Thor was hosting with the Sir John Sport Academy.

Table Tennis is the 30th Territorial Sport Organization and newest member under the Sport North Umbrella. Now 16 months old, Table Tennis North has reached 11 communities, plus played and workshoped with over 2,500 children in the Northwest Territories. This month of November has included  5 schools in  Yellowknife. 

“Sport North is the foundation of our success. They welcomed us into their family just over a year ago, giving us the possibility as a Territorial Sport Organization to expand and grow. It is very important to come together and make the North stronger, we work and succeed together with one common goal.”