Futsal wasn’t set to start for another hour, but the electricity in the air was palpable as fans awaited the continuation of competition following Opening Ceremonies. Volunteers worked to finish preparations as teams arrived for an exciting Futsal match between Northwest Territories and Yukon.
This match marked Northwest Territories’ first sport competition of the 2024 Arctic Winter Games, and the team was eager to play. Athletes chatted amongst themselves excitedly as Yukon and Northwest Territories completed their warm-up drills on opposing ends of the court.
With six minutes until kickoff, family and friends gathered to the left of the court to cheer, their plastic clappers and flags waving in support of their team. In no time, the whistle blew for teams to line up and stand for the playing of Canada’s National Anthem. As the final notes played, the teams met for the first time and shook hands at center court.
Four players and a goalie from each contingent entered the court, and with the sharp blow of a whistle, they were off! It didn’t take long for Yukon to score the first goal, and the stakes rose. Northwest Territories and Yukon both doubled-down on their gameplay. Yukon’s lead quickly grew to 5-0 as the buzzer rang out marking the end of the first half.
During halftime the teams gathered with their respective coaches to receive advice and words of encouragement. The athletes took the court with an air of renewed determination as they started the second half of the game.
Pushing for a win, both teams ran faster and pushed harder, but when one player fell, another player wasted no time helping them to their feet and resuming the competition. Yukon won the Sunday afternoon match with a final score of 8-1, but everyone in the crowd agreed that the players of both teams played with heart and determination.