For the gold medal round, Team Alberta North went against Team Alaska on Friday afternoon. The stands were full for this match-up.
In the first set, both teams worked hard and kept the score close or matched point-for-point. The teams’ ability to keep the ball in the air in the volleys is incredible. Team Alaska was able to squeak ahead and take the set point.
In the second set, Alberta pulled ahead quickly by a couple of points. Team Alaska tied it up at 12 but Alberta was able to pull ahead for set two point. Set three was Alberta’s game for nearly the duration. They dug hard, as much as you can dig into a gym floor, and Alaska wasn’t quite able to block or return the ball quickly enough. Set four saw Alberta pull ahead early. The team stayed ahead for the entire set and was able to earn the gold medal at three sets to Alaska’s one.
There was more to the game than winning. The players on both teams, most of them 17, want to learn, meet others, and have fun. Many have played, or currently play other sports. A good number give back to their communities by coaching younger players in their spare time. Also, as a testament to their hard work, a few are committed to playing at the collegiate level in both Alaska and Canada.
One member of Team Alaska, Regan Leilani Baker, wrote about her biggest role model, her mother.
"She can be tough, a little too honest sometimes, and she does not like excuses. She never gives up on me or my dreams even when things seem impossible she keeps pushing. My mom taught me that leadership means setting an example by serving others first and being one of the hardest working athletes (on and off the court). She taught me not to quit and the lasting satisfaction that comes from leaving things better than I found them."
Very few quotes embody the sportsmanship, leadership, and leave-no-trace ideals of the Arctic Winter Games. Thank you Regan, for sharing your mom’s wisdom with us. Great job to all the ladies! Keep up the hard work!