More than 500 young athletes spent the weekend competing for medals in the 2009 Northwestel Indoor Soccer Championships, held in Whitehorse and presented by the Yukon Soccer Association.

Fifty-five teams competed, including forty-one from Whitehorse, and fourteen from smaller communities. Dawson City sent eight teams, Mayo and Haines Junction sent two each, and Pelly Crossing and Atlin, B.C. each sent one team.

The teams competed in six different categories, ranging from seven and under (U7) to eighteen and under (U18). Over the weekend, a total of 118 games were played.

“There were some very exciting matches throughout the weekend,” said Johnny Nunan, Yukon Soccer Association President. “In some cases, it was almost too much for some of the parents to watch. Many of the scores were very close, with only one or two goals deciding the game. In what was probably the most exciting match of the weekend, the 9-and-under gold medal game required overtime and then a shoot-out, with an incredible 22 shots fired. There’s no doubt that Yukon’s soccer players know how to keep a crowd of fans enthralled.”

In 2008, Northwestel contributed more than $670,000 in cash and in-kind donations to many northern community groups, including the 2008 Arctic Winter Games. Throughout its history, Northwestel has played a key role in the economic, social and cultural development of the North. Northwestel is recognised as a key contributor to the well-being of northern communities through its community investment program and the volunteer contributions of its employees.

Northwestel provides complete telecommunications solutions in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon, northern British Columbia and High Level, Alberta. The company’s operations span nearly 4 million square kilometres of the most remote and rugged areas of Canada.