When Canadian National Team athlete Ivy Liao stepped off the plane in Yellowknife around 2 a.m., she was welcomed by something she had never felt before. The cold was immediate and intense. “My first experience stepping out of the plane, I noticed this odd feeling in my nose,” she shared with a smile. “Now I know it was the moisture freezing. It was a very cold welcome to Yellowknife.”
But what stayed with her most was not the temperature. It was the people. “A line that I’ve been saying is that it’s such a cold place, but such a warm community,” Ivy said. “I’ve had the best time here so far and I’m very grateful.”
Ivy, a Pan Am Games medalist from Vancouver, British Columbia and a member of the Canadian National Women’s Table Tennis Team, is visiting the Northwest Territories to support more than just Team NT’s preparation for the Arctic Winter Games. Her days have been filled with training sessions, school visits, and community outreach, sharing the sport of Table Tennis with youth and communities across the region.
Her message is simple and powerful. “Table Tennis has so many benefits, from physical literacy to mental health, to learning strategy, making friends, and giving back to the community,” she explained. “It has really changed my life, and I’m so grateful to be able to come here and share this sport so that others can experience those benefits too.”
In every gym she walks into, that passion shows. Whether she is working with athletes preparing for competition or introducing the sport to students for the very first time, the focus is on connection, confidence, and joy. It is about creating spaces where people feel welcome to try, to move, and to belong.
Her visit is also a reminder that none of this happens alone. Ivy was quick to recognize the many people who make these opportunities possible. “The athletes and coaches are incredible and they’re the stars of the show,” she said. “But there’s so much going on behind the scenes. School administrators providing spaces to train, people organizing funding and logistics, and the whole community supporting Team NT. That’s what makes it all possible, we are all Team NT.”
A special thank you goes to the Mackenzie Recreation Association for their support in helping make this visit happen. Their commitment to outreach, partnerships, and opportunities for youth continues to open doors across the region, allowing moments like these to reach communities, schools, and young athletes who may be discovering sport for the first time.
Over the past days, Ivy has embraced every part of the experience. She has stepped into classrooms and gyms, spoken with students, supported training sessions, and taken the time to connect with anyone who approaches her. In doing so, she has become part of the community, even if just for a short time.
“I think we are all Team NT,” she said. “I was welcomed in right away, even though it’s my first time here.” And that is what this visit is really about. Not just preparing for the Arctic Winter Games, but building relationships, sharing experiences, and creating opportunities for young people to see what is possible.
In every school, every practice, and every conversation, the impact is already being felt. A National Team athlete bringing her story north. Communities opening their doors and hearts in return. A two way exchange built on curiosity, kindness, and a shared belief in the power of sport.
