麻豆视频

The North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) were held in Regina during the week of July 20 to July 26. Here teams from across Canada and the United States came together to compete in a variety of athletic events.

Locally Shanelle Littlechief, Tia Pinacie, Carlie Standingready, Tori Strongeagle, Talon Desjarlias, Skylar Deschaumbault, and Tommy Cappo competed from White Bear First Nations.

Littlechief and Pinacie fought hard on the U19 softball team where they contributed to a fifth place finish. Scores varied from their team beating Team Nova Scotia 20 to 0, to a hard fought battle ending in a win by Team Wisconsin at 6 to 4 against Saskatchewan.

Standingready gave the game of volleyball everything as she competed for Team Saskatchewan on the 16U team. Tough competition Standingready explained she was a little disappointed with being unable to make it to the final matches, but was happy with how the team played overall. Most matches were hard fought and nearly all of theirs would go to the extra third set. This event would go on to be won by Team Manitoba with Team Alberta taking silver and Team Ontario earning bronze.

The 19U volleyball team advanced to the bronze medal match, where Strongeagle and her team lost to Team Wisconson in a best of five. Getting to the bronze medal match was tough with scores of 30 to 28 and 25 to 22 developing in a playoff match against Team Nunavut. 19U volleyball saw Team British Columbia finish first; Team Eastern Door & the North take silver, and Team Wisconsin earn bronze.

The efforts of the youth are being celebrated with or without medals as making their respective teams were all accomplishments. Three particular youth have a little more to celebrate though as they can happily display a medal.

Desjarlais would compete on the Team Saskatchewan U17 baseball team. The 15-year-old would help contribute to a bronze medal win with a record of two wins and two losses. These were again hard fought battles as the score went in Team Wisconsin's favour in a game against Team Saskatchewan by a single point, 11 to 10. This event saw Team California earn gold and Team Wisconsin take silver.

Cappo (U16 softball) and Deschambault (U16 wrestling) are both ecstatic with their performances as they each took home a gold medal in their sport.

Cappo's team nearly went undefeated in the round robin, but lost to Team Manitoba in a game where one run made the difference at 6 to 5. Team Saskatchewan would rally together and go on to win each of their following games to make it to the final. Here the two western provinces would face off again. This time Team Saskatchewan gained the upper hand, scoring 5 runs to Manitoba's 2.

Deschambault would go undefeated at the NAIG. Not only was he undefeated, but Deschambault made it to the final without anyone able to score a single point against him. Entering the final he would be matched up against Brandon Brascoup with Team Eastern Door & the North. Again success came to Deschambault as he earned 4 points, while Brascoup was only able to take one point from him.

Tommy Cappo

Last week Cappo was available for an interview with The Observer and spoke about his experiences at the games.

A centre fielder, Cappo (15), has a couple years of experience playing softball through a team in Whitewood. He had played baseball before that, giving credit to his family for getting him into the game because they all play.

Cappo heard about the games coming to Regina and thought that it was an opportunity he couldn't pass up. Not only would he be able to play on Team Saskatchewan, but the games were close enough to home that family and friends would be able to possibly come as well.

Deciding he would try out, it was a long process before finding out he had made the team.

"our first try out was in the fall on baseball diamonds, and that was just to see who would be going to the winter camps, then they had these winter camps," Cappo explained.

His mother, Sherri McArthur added, "[They were held] in Dundurn and a couple in Saskatoon when the weather was nice."

Cappo had to attend three of these winter camps before finding out he had made the team and once it was formed they began practicing immediately, which included a tournament in Saskatoon to just see how the boys would do.

"We went to one tournament in Saskatoon to see our team [and how it would do]. It was alright, we lost every game," Cappo laughed.

Cappo says they went from that to the gold medal through team bonding.

"We got to stay in these dorms at the U of R and it was all of our ball team right beside each other which was pretty cool; we got to do a lot of team bonding," he stated. "I think the reason we won is because of all our team bonding."

The overall experience was amazing at the games, while stand-out moments included participation in the opening ceremonies, stepping onto the field for the first time at the games, and helping his team win a gold medal.

"It was awesome, really cool," Cappo stated. "The first game we were on T.V. and everyone was watching us, the stands were filled up, it was awesome. We played in Rambler Park and the final game was in Kaplan. It was pretty awesome."

"The first game I thought we were just going to lose because we played Ontario then we just started hitting the ball and our pitcher was pretty good that game - we ended up winning."

The rest of the tournament went well until they came across Team Manitoba.

"The [third] game we just mercied the team [Team Northwest Territories] and then the [fourth] game we mercied again [against Team New Brunswick]," Cappo said. "We played Manitoba [in the second game], they beat us by one, 5 to 6. Then we had to play them in the final again."

It was Team Manitoba that they would take on in the final and with all 14 guys on Team Saskatchewan wanting the win for not only the gold medal, but to beat the only team that had gotten away from them, they dug deep.

" We came back 6 - 2, it was pretty awesome," Cappo smiled.

Realizing that his team had just won the gold, Capp says it was an amazing feeling.

"Everything [goes through your head]. [It's] just the best feeling in the world, I think. It's hard to explain, but it's the best," Cappo said as his smile widened.

"It was the best experience of my life so far!"

Overall the support of friends, family, and the community was appreciated by Cappo. An amazing experience McArthur wants White Bear Sports and Rec to know that their efforts were appreciated as the program helped in getting Cappo to practices and to his success at the NAIG.