Meeting the challenge
Rankin cadets successfully defend title in Shilo
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
SHILO, MANITOBA
The Rankin Inlet 3019 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps successfully defended its championship crown at the annual Northwestern Army Cadet Challenge in Shilo, Man., this past month.
Commanding Officer Dorothy Tootoo presents Master Cpl. Rachel Oolooyuk with her Buff headware while congratulating her on being part of the Rankin Inlet team to capture the 2016 Northern Army Cadet Challenge in Shilo, Man., this past month. - photo courtesy Dorothy Tootoo |
The challenge was attended by corps from across Nunavut and Manitoba.
Rankin Commanding Officer Dorothy Tootoo said the corps is extremely proud of the cadets' accomplishment.
She said the Rankin cadets can be a force to be reckoned with when they set their minds to something.
"I couldn't attend the challenge this year, but I just returned from a commanding officer's conference and it was nice to see Frank May of Arctic Bay receive his 12-year pin," said Tootoo.
"Our Rankin cadets are just so interested in being able to go out and compete.
"A lot of the time it's not even that they really want to win as much as being able to go and see their friends.
"But they practice hard and they put the time in to be competitive at the different competitions."
Master Cpl. Rachel Oolooyuk, 13, has been part of the winning six-member teams the past two years.
She said it's always fun to compete, but she did enjoy knowing what to expect at this year's challenge.
"I can't say it was any easier because the challenge is, just that, a challenge every year," said Oolooyuk.
"But I had more of a grip on it this year because I knew more of what I had to do then the first time I was there.
"We did miss Arctic Bay not being there this year due to logistical problems, because we always compete hard with each other.
"We both want to win, but it's friendly competition."
Oolooyuk said if there's a secret to Rankin's performance at the challenge, it's that each of the cadets focus on trying to beat their personal best.
She said aiming at their personal best seems to bring them up as a team.
"Getting to spend time with our friends from other corps is a really big part of participating in the cadet challenge.
"It's really nice seeing all of my friends there, and you compete with them in a nice way that really makes the whole competition about 10 times the fun.
"I've made quite a few friends I stay in touch with throughout the year."
