Page 34 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 119

34 Issue #119 December 2022 www.sportsenergynews.com

Formerly Blue Beacon

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Playing for Team Nunavut with Connor Ejetsiak

By Victoria Klassen a lot already from his time on the team.
For the Team Nunavut tryouts,
onnor Ejetsiak, 15, a Seaway Connor flew back to Iqaluit. The
CValley Rapids U16AA player, will tryouts were over a three-day period,
be representing Team Nunavut at the with early mornings and six hours a
upcoming Canada Winter Games and day on the ice.
the Arctic Winter Games. Connor grew “It was intense, the hockey was fast,
up in Iqaluit and played hockey with and it was very physical,” said Connor.
the Iqaluit Blizzard for most of his life. “But it was fun because I got to play
He moved in August to Ingleside, to with my buddies that I haven’t seen
play for Seaway Valley. He said it’s since the summer—so overall it was a
been a good experience playing with good time.”
Seaway Valley, and that he has learned Before the Arctic Winter Games
It Is What It Is However, the sports world, like the real Photo Submitted
world, seems to be taking a deep dive
into the abyss lately and it’s not easy
to find positive stories of any kind out
By Peter Collins
there. We seem to be on the fast train of from Jan. 29 – Feb. 4 and the Canada important,” Connor shared. “I am
breaking our standards faster than we Winter Games from Feb. 18 – March 5, looking forward to playing for Team
can lower them! My hope, because the there will be another weekend practice Nunavut. I’ve wanted to play in these
pendulum always swings back to center for Team Nunavut in December.
when things go askew, is that soon the Connor explained that the practices tournaments for many years, but now
world will give itself a good kick in the are mostly high intense practices and that I’m at the age where I am able to
s we end the turbulent year of 2022, pants and that will serve as a wakeup compete, I am very happy that I got the
Ait’s time for a little introspection. call to try and be better as humans. shooting clinics. opportunity to represent Nunavut in
The title of this column “It Is What It Is” With some effort you can find some “A big part of hockey in Nunavut
has become what some would consider remarkable sports heroes and stories out is sportsmanship, so that’s very such a big tournament like that.”
one of the most overused phrases in the there. One that I witnessed recently was
English language today. In many circles the pre-game ceremony put together by Match Your Area Knowledge
people are weary of hearing those words. the Toronto Maple Leaf’s honouring the
My intent when I first started writing legendary Borje Salming. The retired Play Thom’s Trivia
this column a few years ago was to be stalwart defenceman from the seventies
informative about what was happening in and eighties recently announced that 1Q - What did Gordie Howe do on December 25th, 1956,
the world of sports and sprinkle in a little he has ALS, an incurable disease. at the Olympia in Detroit?
humour along the way. Without sounding There wasn’t a dry eye in the house at 2Q - On Christmas day 1965, the Canadiens played their
like a spiritual yogi, accepting things for the celebration, and even though his
the way they are seems like a path in prognosis is inevitable, it was beautiful last game on Christmas Day. They beat Detroit 4-3. Who
life that we should try to emulate for our to see him commemorated in such a was the offensive star that day?
own well-being and mental health. Oh, manner. Borje has dealt with this disease 3Q - On Christmas Day 1971, three games were played,
that sounded yogi-like! Things that are in the same classy way that he plied his and it would be the final time games were played on the
out of our control in theory should not trade in the NHL. Borje has accepted 25th. Who scored the last ever Christmas Day goal?
play havoc on or negatively affect our his fate, maybe in part because he has Page 43 for Answers
daily lives (more yogi indoctrination). realized that “it is what it is”!