For athletes from the Northwest Territories, competing at the Canadian Senior & Junior Table Tennis Championships is about much more than results. It is about representing our communities, embracing new experiences, and discovering what is possible when we challenge ourselves on the national stage.
This year’s championships in Winnipeg provided all of that, and more.
From the opening serve to the final match, Team NT demonstrated that our greatest strength isn’t measured only in medals. It is found in the way we support one another, celebrate each other’s successes, and continue learning together.
Athletes competed against some of Canada’s strongest players, coaches worked tirelessly behind the barriers, teammates cheered for one another between matches, and every conversation with athletes, officials, and volunteers became another opportunity to grow.
The championships also produced a historic milestone, as Akiko Iwase became the first athlete from Canada’s three territories to win a medal at the Canadian Table Tennis Championships, capturing silver in the Women’s Over 40 Singles. It is a moment that will inspire northern athletes for years to come.
Yet the story of Team NT goes beyond history.
Every athlete returned home with something valuable: greater confidence, new friendships, a deeper understanding of the game, and motivation for the next training session.
As coaches, one of the greatest rewards is seeing athletes apply what they have been practicing. For most that means winning a match. For us it means winning a single point because they committed to executing the right technique or making the correct tactical decision. Those moments are victories.
Table Tennis North continues to build a culture where athletes encourage one another, coaches invest in people before results, and everyone contributes to the success of the team. That culture was visible throughout the week in Winnipeg.
A reflection from Table Tennis North’s Executive Director Thorsten:
“One of the things I love most is seeing the North represented on the national stage. We may come from small communities, but we bring a culture of giving, supporting one another, and working together. Most importantly, we show up and give our very best.
Of course celebrating the wins and the medals is important, but what excites me even more is watching athletes execute what they’ve learned, winning a point because they trusted the technique they practiced or the tactic they prepared for. Those moments tell me that learning is becoming performance.
When every athlete leaves a championship having learned something new, experienced something meaningful, and become a little better than when they arrived, that’s a successful championship. Those are the victories that continue long after the medals are awarded.”
As Team NT returns home, the focus shifts from reflecting on this championship to preparing for the next one. The journey continues, and with every tournament, clinic, and practice session, northern Table Tennis grows a little stronger.
Thank you to our athletes, coaches, families, supporters, volunteers, and everyone who made this incredible week possible. Thank you, Team NT, for making the North proud.
