麻豆社区

It's never too soon to get ready for the Arctic Winter Games.

That's the message Table Tennis Yukon president Dave Stockdale is preaching prior to this weekend, when he will host a team identification camp aimed at recruiting new players to the sport.

The 2014 Arctic Winter Games will be held in Fairbanks, Alaska.

"The kids are out there,鈥� Stockdale told the Star. "We just have to hustle them up.

"It's a good opportunity for athletes to participate in the Arctic Winter Games,鈥� Stockdale said of the sport, before noting that he would like his team to get more than six months of training under their belts prior to the tournament.

While the boys team is looking strong, Stockdale said he has only one female player returning from the last Games.

The 2014 Arctic Winter Games ID camp will take place tomorrow at Whitehorse Elementary School. The event is open to junior-aged boys and girls born in 1996 or later, as well as juvenile-aged boys and girls born in 1999 or later.

Registration will begin at 1:30 p.m., with the identification camp running from 2 to 5 p.m. There is a $5 entry fee.

On the Easter weekend, eight members of the Whitehorse club attended the Calgary United Sports Table Tennis

Association's Spring Open tournament. Stockdale called it a success.

The tournament featured approximately 100 athletes, he said, some as old as 80 years old.

"It was a great trip,鈥� Stockdale said. "The kids played an awful lot at a fairly competitive level. That's an objective. For this group, it was a great experience.鈥�

Stockdale called the experience "invaluable鈥� for those athletes pushing towards an appearance at the Arctic Winter Games, describing the atmosphere as stimulating and fun.

"We were looking for a rated tournament to go to, and this one was good because it's low ranking and we got lots of games,鈥� he said. "We didn't win anything, but I told the kids if you can beat one person, then you have a right to be here. Most people came up with at least one game win, while others picked up a match win.鈥�

Attending athletes included Kyle Gonder, Abed Rajab, Hassan Rajab, Arcel Siosan, Thomas Brenner, Grace Anne Janssen, Greg Murdoch and Nicholas Morgan. Each participated in both singles and doubles play.

Stockdale added he hopes to return to Calgary this summer for a summer camp.

Meanwhile, several major events are upcoming on the table tennis calendar. The Yukon Championships will take place April 27 and 28, before the club heads across the border to compete in the Yukon-Alaska Challenge next month.

In August, Stockdale said he hopes to attend a junior championship in Vancouver for the "first time in a long time.鈥�