N.W.T. athletes get chance to shine at Western Canada Summer Games

Competitors from across the N.W.T. are heading to Swift Current, Sask., this week to represent the territory at this year's Western Canada Summer Games.

The Games kick off Friday at 7 p.m. and run until Aug. 18.

This year, Team NT will feature 127 athletes, nine coaches, and 11 mission staff, a Chef de Mission and an assistant Chef de Mission.

The first round of athletes have already arrived and among them is this year's flag bearer, Naomi Yukon.

Yukon is on the girl's basketball team and says this is her first Games.

When she found out she was chosen to lead Team NT into the opening ceremonies, she was pleasantly surprised.

"It was really exciting," she said."I had no clue. Once my coach told me, my heart dropped and I was just like, 'Yes!'"

• 'We've all grown up together': Grade 12 athletes savour their final N.W.T. track meet

Yukon is originally from Deline and says transitioning to life in Yellowknife was difficult, but worth it to pursue basketball.

"It's just been hard being away from my family," she said. "But it's been good though because I've been playing ball and just having a good time."

Yukon says practising with her teammates has pushed her to improve her game, so she hopes she'll be able to make Deline proud.

Getting experience

Another athlete looking to make the North proud is track-and-field athlete Rochelle Smith.

This is also her first time attending the Western Canada Summer Games.

"I think it's really important that people that are so rural and, like, I don't know, not well known get a chance to show what they've got," says Smith, who is from Hay River.

She says she's been training hard and is excited to run on a rubber track for the first time, but also hopes to develop her skills.

"I really want to be able to make this a big part of my life," she said. "I want to be a track athlete ... I feel like this will be a big help in getting me further in my running career."

• PHOTOS|N.W.T. youth run, jump and throw at territorial track championships

Rita Mercredi, chef de mission for the team, says the Games give athletes experience that they are able to share with friends and families back home, which helps to create a greater interest in sports throughout the North.

"They get to interact with athletes from all different types of sport, from all different regions in Canada," she said.

"They leave the games with a really great experience and then they come home and they talk about it."

Mercredi says excitement is in the air as they count down to the opening ceremonies.

"The host has done an amazing job getting everything ready the facilities, the athletes village, they're ready to go. We're all excited for them to get here and get it started," she said.