Rankin Inlet girls hockey team visits Oakville, Ontario through northern exchange program

Young female hockey players from Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, spent this past week in Oakville, Ont., as part of a northern exchange program.

The Oakville Hornets U15 girls hockey team hosted the Rankin Rock from March 22 to 29 for a week of celebrating sport and building cultural connections. The Rock will host the Hornets in Rankin Inlet next month.

"It's really fun," said Aguat Hickes, one of the players for the Rankin Rock. "And it's a good experience too."

The northern exchange program connects communities from northern and southern Canada through Experiences Canada, a national charity that sponsors youth exchange trips. 

The first exchange between Rankin Inlet and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) took place in 2018, said Lee Barter, one of the trip organizers from Experience Canada. He said the Rankin Rock and Oakville Hornets are the seventh and eighth teams to participate in the exchange.

This past week, the two teams had the chance to play a variety of sports together and faced-off against each other for a hockey game in the Toronto Maple Leafs' official practice arena.  

They also visited Niagara Falls, attended a Leafs game and had the opportunity to share family dinners and attend community gatherings. 

For the girls from Rankin Inlet, the exchange has been an opportunity to experience a new landscape.

"It's a lot warmer here," Tina Misheralak said. "Back home it's very white and very snowy.

"One of the girls mentioned to me one of the biggest things she's noticed down here is actually the smells and how the smells are different," said Hannah Siksik, one of the trip chaperones from Experiences Canada.

Along with major highways and tall buildings the landscape in the GTA is also dotted with something else that the girls from Rankin don't get to see at home: trees.

Hickes said one of the things she will take with her from the trip down south is "climbing trees."

Next month, the teams will experience another week of cultural events and sports in Rankin Inlet.

"I think I'm more excited to see a new lifestyle and I think it will be completely different than it is here," said Iris Barter, one of the Oakville Hornet players.

Lee Barter says the Oakville players are particularly excited to experience the North.

"Feeling not just the cold, but also the day length. It'll be long days at the time of year we go. So there's a lot of enthusiasm and excitement about just exploring the unknown," Barter said.

The Rankin Rock will host the Oakville Hornets from April 26 to May 3.