The creation of the song ‘We Stand Tall’ came from the inspiration of the perseverance, hard work, and team support of Hockey and Table Tennis athletes. We stand together for “We Stand Tall” and share the song throughout the upcoming Canada Winter Games.

Song was created by Jaycee Leon

Lyrics

That icy chill is rolling in
The Dehcho River’s running deep
And we blazed the trail that we’re walkin’
It’s time to meet our destiny

Scaling over the Mackenzie Mountains
The Northern Lights guide the way
Win or lose, we’re all champions
Nobody’s gonna put out our flame

‘Cause we stand tall
Breaking down every wall
Yeah, we stand tall
NWT through it all
We stand tall
Reach out and take your chance
Hold your Territory’s pride within your hands
And stand up tall

Just look at how far we’ve come
Left all our doubts in the past
We’ve worked hard, but still had fun
Gotta make every moment last

Each second is ours for the taking
Each challenge an new open door
Can you feel the Arctic shaking?
It’s us waiting to see what’s in store

As we stand tall
Breaking down every wall
Yeah, we stand tall
NWT through it all
We stand tall
Reach out and take your chance
Hold your Territory’s pride within your hands
And stand up tall
Stand up tall

You heard the call, you dove right in
The Arctic Ocean guided you here
So trust yourselves and look within
You’ll see the way is crystal clear

As we all now come together
Build each other up every day
The only way is up, it only gets better
So let’s rise to the trials that we face

As we stand tall
Breaking down every wall
Yeah, we stand tall
NWT through it all
We stand tall
Reach out and take your chance
Hold your Territory’s pride within your hands
And stand up tall
Stand up tall

We recognize and celebrate the unique opportunities that sport provides in uniting people to a common goal. We embrace the essential value of belonging as essential for individual success, team success and sport excellence.

Using education and promotions as tools to promote, inspire and highlight the very important value that there is a place for you in sports. Table Tennis North strives to empower all members and volunteers (from the home to competition arena and everything and everyone in between) to understand and embrace the language of inclusion. Through partnership in communities and with Table Tennis North, we want to ensure the safety and inclusion of all in sports – including 2SLGBTQI athletes, coaches and fans.

Campaign Promotion

1. Athlete Ambassadors / Influencers
   a) Education – Athletes, coaches and parents are invited to a short presentation on pronouns and the ASK ME MY PRONOUNS pins. Athletes are encouraged to wear and share their pins.
   b) Athletes take over Social Media- Table Tennis North supports and encourages athletes to share the games experience through their own eyes.
2. Pride Day at the Games – Wednesdays.
   a) Arctic Winter Games | Feb 1
   b) Canada Games | Feb 22
   c) Join us as athletes celebrate PRIDE. Watch as social media gets taken over
3. Email Signatures
   Example: THORSTEN GOHL, Executive Director (he/him/il/lui)
   c: (867) 373-2101 | e: thor@tabletennisnorth.ca | w: http://www.tabletennisnorth.ca
4. Meeting Etiquette
   a) Inclusive Introductions
   b) Land Acknowledgment

Table Tennis North strives to create a diverse, inclusive community in which everyone feels safe, respected and valued—regardless of any aspect of one’s identity, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic status, ability or age.

Central to our commitment is a sustained effort to increase participation from historically underrepresented groups.

weareallteamnt #everychildmatters #pride

We are proud of our athletes and coaches that will wear the colours of Team NT at the 2023 Wood Buffalo Arctic Winter Games. They represent the Northwest Territories with their hearts, minds and bodies. For each of them a support system is in place, wonderful humans that show up, share their passion, guide them, listen to them, mentor them, waking them up in the morning and so much more. We want to take the time and highlight everyone that contributes to Team NT. 

Please use the hashtag #weareallteamnt and highlight those that make a difference in your life. Tag them in the post, take a picture, create a video and say “We are all Team NT.” Share it with your Territorial Sport Organization and ask them to post it, share it and comment on it. It is all about coming together, supporting each other and making a difference in the North. 

We are all Team NT!!!

Aboriginal Sport Circle @AboriginalSportCircleNWT
Badminton NT @badmintonnwt
Basketball NWT @bnwt.ca
Cross Country NWT @crosscountrynwt
NWT Curling @nwtcurling
Skate NWT @skateabnwtnun
Hockey NWT @hockeynwt
NWT Judo @nwtjudo
NWT Snowboard @NWTSnowboard
NWT Soccer @NWTSoccerAssociation
NWT Softball @nwtsoftball
Speed Skating NWT @speedskatingnwt
NWT Squash @NWTSquash
Table Tennis North @analyst
Volleyball NT @VolleyballNTAssociation

The 2023 Arctic Winter Games will be hosted in the Wood Buffalo region of Alberta. 2,000 athletes from the circumpolar world will come together to celebrate sport and culture from January 28 until February 5, 2023. 

As the 2022 games were canceled due to COVID-19, Table Tennis Yukon decided to gift their equipment that was not used for the games to the host society for this years event. Those included 2 professional tables, umpire tables and balls. A great initiative to make a leaving legacy for the communities of Northern Alberta. 

Kevin Murphy, President Table Tennis Yukon is excited about this “We benefited greatly with the new equipment we got for the 2020 games and unfortunately we never got to use it for the Whitehorse games. With that equipment we were in great shape at our club level. When Brian Stuart, Table Tennis Yukon’s chief official & I found out the 2023 games needed some equipment, we decided to help out. Pay it forward, if you will, the legacy for our sport”.

Table Tennis in the Northwest Territories also stepped up and provided additional equipment to the host society for a successful event. Including 4 tables, barriers, umpire tables and balls. There will be a total of 6 out of the 8 circumpolar nations participating in Table Tennis and they will see brand new equipment to participate on

Executive Director for Table Tennis North (NWT), Thorsten Gohl shares his reasoning about this great initiative “We absolutely loved what the Yukon did and wanted to be part of it. We are all in this together and together we are stronger. An absolute no brainer to step up and support our sport.”

We are looking forward to the 2023 Games and especially the Table Tennis event. This is what sport is all about!!!

Our Arctic Winter Games coach arrived in the Northwest Territories and will be working with our athletes to get them ready for the upcoming games starting January 29th, 2023.

“We are excited to have Emilia with us in the North. She will be a wonderful addition to Team NT Table Tennis.”

Emilia will be doing school outreach programs in Fort Providence, Kakisa, Yellowknife and Hay River, support the Hockey & Table Tennis program as well as support the partnership with Inclusion Incorporated and the Richmond Olympic Oval.

Fort Providence – We are very excited to announce that Emilia Cabrera Mallette will be the head coach for Team NT Table Tennis at the 2023 Wood Buffalo Arctic Winter Games.

Emilia started her career very early when she was only 5 years old. From there she participated in many national and international competitions as a Team Quebec player before becoming a Canadian National Team player and representing Team Canada in international events.

Since then Emilia turned coach and is now working with players in Quebec, as well as she just assisted the Table Tennis Canada Gender Equity training camp earlier this Summer in Ottawa.

Here are some memorable moments in her career.

“The US OPEN in Las Vegas (2018) because of how impressive everything was in this city such as the buildings, the cultural attractions, the gym where there was more than 200 tables, etc. Also, I had the opportunity to watch inspiring players play in real life such as Eugene Wang (Canada).

The most memorable moment of my career happened in 2018 during a Canada open (international) in Toronto. Me and my teammate Kelly Zhao were playing for the third place in the team category girls 15 and under. I had to win my next match in order for us to reach the third place and it would have been my first international medal. Therefore, I was losing 6-2 (2-0) against a talented USA player. To be honest, I had lost all hope. But, Kelly and my coach (Maxime Surprenant) didn’t give up on me and I was able to win this match! Me teammate and I were so happy and we couldn’t believe what just happened. Here are the pictures that were taken when I won the match.”

Emilia will be working with Team NT Table Tennis in preparation for the games the end of January. Including our partnership with the Richmond Olympic Oval, Skating Success and our upcoming Gender Equity and Every Child Matters campaign. In January 2023 she will also support the Hockey & Table Tennis program before travelling with the team to Fort McMurray to compete at the Arctic Winter Games.

“I want to create great memories and meet new players. It will be a very enriched experience for me a coach but also as a person. My goal is to share as best as I can the knowledge that I have acquired in my career. However, I’m sure that I will learn a lot from the people that I’ll meet there. I can’t wait to meet the NT table tennis community !!!!”

We are looking forward seeing our athletes work with Emilia in preparation for the Arctic Winter Games and leaving a legacy behind for future generation. Welcome, bienvenue Emilia!!!

Please see the letter from the President of the AWGIC indicating that the AWGIC has removed the mandatory Covid – 19 Vaccine Policy for the AWG’s.

“Effective immediately, the Arctic Winter Games International Committee (AWGIC) has revoked its Policy on Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccines to align with current public health advice. This means that the AWGIC will no longer require participating athletes, coaches, managers, mission staff, and others to be fully vaccinated to be part of the Wood Buffalo 2023 Arctic Winter Games”. 

This recent news obviously impacts the Territorial Trials slated for December 7-12. As a result, the mandatory Covid – 19 Vaccine Policy for the AWG Territorial Trials will be removed.

If members of your TSO feel impacted by this recent decision (for example, unvaccinated athletes who did not register for the Territorial Trials, OR vaccinated athletes who now wish to withdraw), please contact Bill Othmer @ 669-8336 no bothmer@sportnorth.com later than Tuesday Nov. 22^nd  to arrange registration or a refund.

Are you interested in trying out for the Canada Winter Games and/or Arctic Winter Games in Table Tennis? Come and join us this week in Yellowknife for 4 training sessions. Anyone can join our Open House session at 6pm at Weledeh School.

To sign up for the training sessions and to get more information on the locations and times, send an e-mail to info@tabletennisnorth.ca.

The Arctic Winter Games trials are coming up from December 7-11, 2022. A chance to make Team NT to participate in the Table Tennis competition in Fort McMurray for the 2023 Wood Buffalo Arctic Winter Games.

To sign up click here: https://www.sportnorth.com/registration-arctic-winter-games-2023

Please find the link below to the Mission Staff Application for the Arctic Winter Games being held in Wood Buffalo, AB January 29 – February 4, 2023; and Canada Winter Games being held in Charlottetown, PEI February 18 – March 5, 2023.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Missionstaffapplication

The deadline to register is October 7, 2022.

For more information please contact:

AWG’s
Bill Othmer
Chef de Mission
669-8336
bothmer@sportnorth.com

CWG’s
Rita Mercredi
Chef de Mission
669-8331
rmercredi@sportnorth.com