N.W.T. table tennis future stars get equipment boost after 1st AWG ulu

More than a dozen top-quality table tennis tables are being dispatched to Northwest Territories communities, a month after Team NWT picked up its first-ever table tennis ulu at the Arctic Winter Games.

The sport's territorial governing body,Table Tennis North,hopes to capitalize on that success by introducing the new, robust tables.

"The tables are actual competition tables. They will last," said Table Tennis North's Thorsten Gohl.

"We know, in the North, we need to have more activities during the winter. We can't always go outside. Table tennis can help that. People can go into the community centre and they will have a good, stable table that looks professional. They can hit it they shouldn't, but they can and nothing will happen. It's great."

Legacy value

Fort Simpson will receive five of the tables, which were purchased with help from the Mackenzie Recreation Association, Hay River's Rowe's Group and table tennis manufacturer Butterfly.

Fort Liard will receive two, Jean Marie River one, and Ndilo four. Other tables are still to be assigned.

Table Tennis North only came into being in September 2015 when Sport North granted its status as a territorial sports organization. Within half a year, Ndilo's Aurora Fraser and Yellowknife's Tamara Jovic had teamed up to win silver in juvenile girls' doubles at the 2016 Arctic Winter Games in Greenland.

"I get goosebumps about it. We can start a legacy right now," said Gohl.

"For me, every single table has 'legacy' on it."

Fit to play

In tandem with the arrival of its new tables, Table Tennis North is introducing aerobic table tennis to the territory. Aerobic table tennis is a blend of table tennis skills, fitness class and music.

British coach Steve Rowe, who created the discipline in 2011, is touring the territory this week.

"It helps the kids increase their health and wellbeing and they learn about table tennis. If they like aerobic table tennis, the next step is to play the actual game," said Rowe following a session at Yellowknife's Weledeh Catholic School.

"The kids absolutely loved it. I can tell it makes a difference."