Thorunn Howatt
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Aug 08/01) - Imaginative "out-of-the-box" thinking by Nunasi's Arctic Spirit Sportswear is one reason why athletes from the Northwest Territories will be heading to London, Ont., in exciting athletic fashions.
"We have switched how we do things," said Sport North's Rob Meckling, the athletes' organizer.
He wanted the 200 athletes to go into the games with a look good, feel good attitude.
"It's a big deal, if your an athlete, to go in there with the hot stuff -- and we have the hot stuff."
Fashions are commonly traded between participants from competing provinces and territories but Meckling said some of the kids have vowed not to give up their uniforms.
When the kids were initially checking out the clothes, they would hold them up, unsmiling and critical.
"Turn them around, feel the fabric and then look up with a big smile and say, 'sweet,' " said Meckling.
The uniforms consist of a blue jacket with zip-off sleeves and a pair of khaki coloured sport-pants that convert to shorts. White T-shirts and Panama hats top off the outfits.
Although Arctic Spirit was the successful bidder on the sportswear contract, the manufacturing was done in Saskatoon, Sask. In the past, Sport North insisted that a Northern company make team uniforms but that changed in time for the 2000 Arctic Games.
Sport North could not find a Northern company who could keep up with the number, quality and manufacturing speed needed for the contracts.
As well as the 200 uniforms, each costing Sport North $125, Nunasi had to come up with an additional 30 uniforms in order to outfit the smaller athletes.
Most of the kids picked up their clothing last week and are decked out to go to London this week.
Arctic Spirit has submitted a proposal to Sport North to outfit the athletic team that will be headed to the Arctic Winter Games in February 2002. There will be about twice the number of uniforms and the budget is $225 per uniform.
Sport North will be announcing the successful bidder later next week.
