NNSL (Mar 20/98) - The smell of freshly applied Tiger Balm lingers in the air at Weledeh Catholic school.

It's the scent of tired muscles getting rubbed down and rejuvenated before the big game.

"We were both here yesterday," said Yukon's Tonya Gruber, glancing at her teammate, Mona Palfreyman, 28, who is in getting a massage for her strained back and neck Wednesday morning.

Gruber, a tall, lean 23-year-old volleyball player, is troubled with sinus congestion and shoulder pain. She fears it's because of a flu bug going around.

"It's great that they have this here," she said rubbing her temples with her hand. "I can't believe the therapists are doing this on a volunteer basis. I think more athletes are coming down they expected."

Darlene Robertson, sports-massage co-ordinator for the Games is pleased at the success of the clinic.

The 14 therapists at the three clinics around town have been booked solid from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. since they started on Monday.

Athletes have been lining up early in the mornings, one day in advance, crossing their figures in hopes of finding a spot with a therapist.

"We've seen close to 200 without counting the athletes clinic at the infirmary the first two days," said Robertson.

There could be a number of reasons why therapists have been kept so busy, she said.

Athletes are sleeping in strange beds at the schools, making for perhaps sleepless nights and uncomfortable nap time.

Athletes are also playing more games than they would normally play. Some are used to playing just a couple of games each week and a tournament on the weekends. At the Games, most athletes are playing two matches a day. Most athletes in the games are suffering from back aches.

"We're getting some headaches too, a lot from a flu going around. We're treating some sinus headaches, back and shoulders, a lot of shoulders yesterday and a lot of legs, too -- skiers and snowshoers," said Robertson.

Therapists have seen almost as many patients so far as they saw at the whole games in Alaska, two years ago.

Massage therapy was introduced at the Arctic Winter Games eight years ago, in Yellowknife.

The purpose of sports-massage therapy is to enhance performance and prevent injury among athletes.

"This is important. We have to have this included in the AWG. I think the athletes really appreciate it. Well, I know they do," said Robertson.