RANKIN INLET
Two longtime hockey coaches in Rankin Inlet have been named co-winners of Nunavut's 2014 Coach of the Year award.

Donald Clark, right, and Steve Faulkner are named cowinners of Nunavut's 2014 Coach of the Year award during a ceremony in Iqaluit earlier this month for their efforts with the junior C Kivalliq Canucks. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

The announcement was made by the Sport and Recreation Division in Iqaluit earlier this month.

Donald Clark and Steve Faulkner have coached hockey at numerous levels during their time in Rankin.

And, during the past 13 years, the duo have spent a great deal of time and effort on the Kivalliq Canucks squad of Nunavut's junior C program.

Faulkner said he was shocked to hear he and Clark had won the award.

But, he said, when it comes right down to it, he doesn't think about awards.

"Winning awards is not why you coach, but it's a nice little bonus to be recognized like this," said Faulkner. "I've only missed one year coaching with Donald (Clark) since the junior program started.

"That was when I coached the midgets at the 2004 Arctic Winter Games."

Faulkner, 44, has been coaching with Clark since moving to Rankin in 1995.

He said being involved in high-level competition is the main reason he still continues to spend time teaching youth.

"There's more to the coaching side than just what happens on the ice. Our program works hard to make our players well-rounded and respected young adults, both on and off the ice.

"So, it's nice to see our players grow in lots of different areas."

Faulkner said, as a coach, it's never fun to cut players.

But, he said, using a selection process during the Polar Bear Plate tournament the past few years has, pretty much, erased the need to cut players the traditional way.

"The first half of the team is usually pretty easy to pick, with the other half being not so easy. It depends how you want to round out the team and the type of individuals you're looking for.

"But it's never fun when kids who thought they had a good chance don't make the cut."

Faulkner said he enjoys the camaraderie between everyone during the season.

He said the junior program is a really positive experience for all involved. The junior C program has continued to gain in popularity and grow during the past few years.

"We get a lot of support from other communities that work on their minor hockey programs and send stronger teams to the Polar Bear Plate."

Clark said being named Coach of the Year was a nice surprise.

He said he'd like to see the Kitikmeot have a team capable of competing with the Kivalliq and Baffin squads some day, but it's still far behind the development level of the other two regions.

"Kivalliq players continue to aspire to make our team because they know it's a worthwhile goal," said Clark. "They've been told it's a good life experience by previous players.

"And the Polar Bear Plate is paramount in its connection to junior C now.

"Having a chance to make the Kivalliq Canucks has become a major focus behind the tournament, in addition to trying to win the Polar Bear Plate itself, and the two make a great combination."

Clark said while he was an active teacher, he didn't look forward to trying to get time off for a big tournament.

He said it became even more difficult in recent years.

"I don't miss that aspect one bit, now that I'm retired as a teacher. Trying to negotiate leave time to attend tournaments was my least favourite part of coaching.

"It's a real headache, so you have to look long and hard at if you really want to be involved in extracurricular activities if you're in the teaching profession.

"It's different, of course, if it's a Sport Nunavut-sponsored event like the Arctic Winter Games or Canada Winter Games, but the Polar Bear Plate and junior C championship are big events that bring a lot of positives to many youths in the region."

Clark said he's grown an extra layer of skin when it comes to having to cut players.

But, he said, it's not as traumatic for those at the junior level as it might be for some of the younger divisions.

"It's still disappointing when you don't get selected to the team, of course, but they seem to handle it with a lot more maturity, on the outside anyway.

"The hardest part for me now is when we have to select our four overage players. You have a group of players who've been with you for a number of years, and they seem to all age out at the same time, which makes it difficult.

"I've only had two negative experiences in my 13 years with junior C, and it would be nice to coach the first Nunavut team to win the Maritime-Hockey North Junior C Championship before I decide; been there, done that."

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