Daisy Eyegetok

Daisy Eyegotok started coaching youth girls basketball 10 years ago in the remote community of Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. While initially coaching the junior girls team, she has since developed a community program for both girls and boys from ages 10-19 years. The community deals with many challenges and issues, including youth suicide and drug and alcohol abuse. However, because of Daisy’s commitment to the basketball program, an outlet is provided for the youth to build leadership, develop skills, set goals, challenge themselves and more importantly have fun…all through sport. Her determination and commitment to youth basketball program comes from a strong belief that youth are the leaders of tomorrow and must have the skills to meet that challenge. Daisy believes sport provides many skills to meet not only sport challenges, but the challenges of everyday issues. Daisy’s my main focus is setting achievable individual and team goals. She believes this is fundamental in the success of a team or in a broader sense the strength of a community. Building relationships and recognizing each of our personal strengths, has led her team to be successful on and off the court. On the court, her team strives to win, however the real success is in how well they play as a team. Daisy believes learning to recognize the importance of respect and appreciation for others is fundamental in team success. Daisy also believes the importance of recognizing strengths and not weaknesses, and that everyone has the right to play. Community pride falls quietly into place with the confidence of the individual, as an active member of the team. When you have a leader and when the community sees the success of the program, the result is community pride. In a community of 1400 people, over 500 cheer in the stands, wearing “wolverine” pride jerseys…it is deafening, but it is amazing!! Daisy believes this confidence allows players to appreciate others and that sport allows the opportunity to broaden personal and team experiences. Daisy currently is certified level II for Basketball. She has been the head coach for Team Nunavut at the 2006 and 2008 Arctic Winter Games, and will once again be the coach in 2010. She continuously provides opportunity for her players to grow by hosting regional development camps, ensuring players attend summer camps in southern Canada, and even took two teams to a tournament in Jamaica, of which CBC documented the tremendous efforts taken to raise enough money to travel and learning opportunity each player received as a result of participating. Daisy has a “no tolerance” policy…if you don’t go to school, you don’t play on the team…and if you participate in inappropriate activity, you don’t play on the team. She also requires older players to get involved in coaching the younger kids in the community. Daisy is a great role model in the community. Both she and her basketball program are most deserving of the recognition that the Chunky MVC program provides.

TESTIMONIALS

Margaret
Imecs

Good luck Daisy!!! You deserve to win this! I'm voting daily for you :)

Matthew
Pearce

Go Daisy go!!! Winning this award would be great for our community here in Cambridge Bay!!

Owen
Etegik

Daisy is a wonderful leader here in our small little community up here in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. I am proud to say i know Daisy, & I am proud that she even made finalist in this competion. All the best to Daisy with this comepetion & for AWG.. Go team NUNAVUT!

Kelly
Fontaine

Being of First Nations decent and working within reserves for over 10 years, it is extremely hard to get started and organized within any sport let alone basketball. I coached for over 7 years at the high school and middle years level within Basketball and it was enjoyable in every way. If we had more people like Daisy we can overcome many of the problems that plague Aboriginal peoples throughout Canada. Daisy is a testament to the role of a volunteer and more importantly her own people. Meqwetch Daisy!!

Kathy
Tanner

We want to add our voice to your Admiration Team! Daisy, your sense of commitment and responsibility are second to none in this community! You show every day through your actions and your attitude that it is important to care... care about each other, care about being your best self, care about sport, care about living a rich life. Your example is an inspiration to young people and adults alike. We all get inspiration from you! Hopefully the outpouring of support for you will help to inspire you to keep doing what you are doing! Continue to Rise Up! We love you! Kathy and Paul Tanner

Vicki
Aitaok

Daisy is not only a coach. She is a mother, a wife, a young lady, an ambassador for Cambridge Bay and for sport, a volunteer, a fundraiser, a secretary, a student...and so much more! Daisy gives her all to everything she signs up to do. You rock Daisy!

Caroline
Robinson

Daisy, Since my son joined basket ball he has over come his impalse control disorder and has learnt to control himself, I have you and Terry to thank for that. You are a great coach, and very well respected in our community. Thank you for all the hard work you have put into the kids here in Cambridge and around Nunavut. You desreve this!

Wendy
Kootoo-Wood

Good luck Daisy, you really do deserve this award. You are a valuable person to the kids and do so much for them. Once again, good luck you have my vote.

Laura
Keating

this is an awesome video.. good luck daisy

Craig
LeBleu

Daisy, No matter what the outcome of this contest is, I think I speak for everyone in saying that the community of Cambridge Bay is extremely proud of you for your continued support of the teams. I am very glad that you are getting the recognition that you very much deserve. Way to go!

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