Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour youth take aim at national marksmanship competition

Five youth from some of the northernmost communities in the Northwest Territories have earned themselves a spot at a national marksmanship competition for Junior Canadian Rangers this spring.

Jasmine Keogak, Calysta Kudlak and Alexis Lucas of Sachs Harbour, as well as Rebecca Rubin and Julian Green of Paulatuk will represent the 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group at the competition in St. Catharines, Ont., from May 4 to 6.

It comes after they snagged the top team award at a qualifying competition in Yellowknife last week for Junior Canadian Rangers from across the N.W.T. and Nunavut.

Around 50 junior rangers took part in the competition at the Yellowknife Multiplex, where they earned points for each match and the top spot went to those with the highest score.

Capt. Waheed Johnson, who helped organize the event, said it's all about self-discipline.

"It teaches them how to also relax and take time," said Johnson. "The very important thing is the safe weapons handling, the rifle handling and how to shoot the target."

It also equips junior rangers with transferable skills they can use in their home communities.

"The marksmanship principles can be transferred from the air rifle to what they use at home, and what they use when harvesting, things like that," said Johnson.

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But hitting the target is no simple feat.

Silence often blanketed the gymnasium as the junior rangers positioned themselves sitting, kneeling, standing for each match.

"The most challenging part is all the competitors and all the pressure," said 15-year-old Green, who was among the top five shooters at one point on Saturday afternoon.

But he also had "a blast," he said, adding he thinks more youth should take advantage of opportunities like this.

Eighteen-year-old Sharion Poodlat of Taloyoak, Nunavut, has been a junior ranger since she was 12 years old and plans to become a senior ranger soon. Young people can be Junior Canadian Rangers from the age of 12 until they turn 19.

Poodlat has learned more than just marksmanship from being a ranger. She's also learned from her senior counterparts about "how to hunt and how to survive out on the land," she said.

Rebecca Aklah, a Canadian Ranger from Taloyoak who escorted and coached junior rangers from her community, said it's important for young people to take part in competitions like this.

"Up north kids are just dropping out of school," said Aklah.

She said if youth understand they can take part in these kinds of opportunities and trips outside their community with the rangers, they will stay in school longer.

Thirteen teams from across Canada are expected to compete at this year's national competition in Ontario, according to Capt. Jennifer Wright, public affairs officer with the 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group.

A total of 65 Canadian Junior Rangers will be competing for the top title, she said.

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