Our Mission

The Cambridge Bay Wrestling Club is dedicated to the long-term social and athletic development of the wrestler through positive coaching, training, competition and mentorship.

Our Vision

A vibrant and strong Cambridge Bay with healthy, confident and resilient Inuit youth realizing their full potential.

Our Values

Inuuqatigiitsiarniq: Respecting others, relationships and caring for people.

Pilimmaksarniq/Pijariuqsarniq: Development of skills through observation, mentoring, practice, and effort.

Piliriqatigiinniq/Ikajuqtigiinniq: Working together for a common cause.

Pijitsirniq: Serving and providing for family and/or community.

Our Program Benefits

  • Safer Communities

    We provide the community with a safe, fun, positive after-school program and increase recreational and self-development opportunities for Inuit youth. Our free program runs during the school year, engaging 100 students after school, a time most associated with risk for anti-social behaviour.

  • Healthy Inuit Youth

    We contribute to the overall health and wellness of Cambridge Bay community by delivering top-level wrestling classes that promote healthier and more active youth.

  • Resilient Inuit Youth

    We increase the resilience of Inuit youth by teaching leadership skills to improve their confidence and discipline. We help change their mindset by teaching them what they can achieve and how to achieve it and how to navigate everyday life.

  • Improved Relationships

    We teach social and emotional skills and facilitate positive relationships between Inuit youth and their families, peers, school staff and community members.

  • Life-Saving Skills

    We teach life-saving and coping skills to increase the capacity of Inuit youth to positively deal with negative, harmful or anti-social behaviours, potentially saving lives.

  • Inuit Role Models

    We take students to tournaments and increase the number of positive Inuit role models for the next generation while increasing overall community pride in Cambridge Bay.

  • Volunteer Opportunities

    We deliver a program that uses volunteers and increases volunteer opportunities for students, families and community members.

  • Support for Inuit Athletes

    We work with local businesses and stakeholders to sponsor tournament costs and build networks and partnerships to strengthen our capacity to support the athletic aspirations of Inuit youth and inspire future wrestling champions.

Our History

Since the beginning of time Inuit have been wrestling. This tradition continues in Cambridge Bay, where the Wrestling Club aims to empower youth to make positive changes in their life by developing confidence, discipline and resilience.

In 2015, Chris Crooks a long-time wrestling coach with more than 35 years experience, brought two youth to the territorial Championships in Iqaluit, and that’s when Cambridge Bay Wrestling Club began. Since then, it has grown into an incorporated nonprofit registered society serving Inuit youth ages 6 to 18 in Cambridge Bay.

Cambridge Bay Wrestling Club started out as an after school programs to develop leadership skills such as discipline, confidence, sportsmanship, and resilience. Senior wrestlers are responsible for mentoring and assisting with the junior wrestling program, learning valuable skills like responsibility, community, and civic engagement. Giving back to the community is a theme stressed in all endeavours and activities. In the 2022/2023 school year more than 100 Inuit youth participated in the after-school program.

Select youth are chosen from the after-school program to travel, train attend workshops and compete across Canada. Over the last several years the Cambridge Bay Wrestlers have competed in two territories and 8 Provinces. In 2022 Eekeeluak Avalak from the Cambridge Bay Wrestling Club became the first athlete from Nunavut to capture a gold medal at the Canada Summer Games when he won the 52kg category in wrestling.

Presently the Cambridge Bay Wrestling Club operates a bike share program, cross country skiing program, Nuna Doctors, after school program and competitive travelling wrestling team.

—

Chris Crooks
President, Coach, Mentor

Meet The Faces Behind Cambridge Bay Wrestling Club

  • Chris Crooks

    PRESIDENT, COACH, MENTOR

    Chris Crooks, a seasoned wrestler and accomplished athlete, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role as President and Coach. With a remarkable track record including multiple All-Canadian honours, CIAU medals, and national team titles, Chris's dedication to the sport is evident. Alongside his successful wrestling career, he has also contributed to event management and youth mentoring, making a positive impact in the wrestling community for over three decades.

  • Paula Cziranka

    VICE PRESIDENT, COACH, MENTOR

    Paula Cziranka is a dedicated professional with over three decades of experience, serving as Vice President, Coach, and Mentor at the Cambridge Bay Wrestling Club. With a strong background in coaching and teaching at-risk students, she has organized events and created impactful programs, including a teen girls group. Paula's mentorship extends beyond wrestling, guiding athletes in education, conflict resolution, and making healthy choices. She has been involved in prestigious events like the 2015 Pan Am Games and organized Nunavut Wrestling Championships and Camps.

  • Zachary Cziranka-Crooks

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ASSISTANT COACH

    Zachary Cziranka-Crooks brings a wealth of athletic and leadership experience to his role as secretary and assistant coach. With a background in basketball, soccer, and track & field, as well as a Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resources, Zachary has dedicated the past three years to coaching and contributing to sports organizations such as being the Head Convener for the Nunavut Basketball Territorial Tournament and currently serving as the President of Nunavut Basketball.

  • Loryn Evans

    COACH

    Muswagon is a Ininu-Iskwew (Cree Woman) from Pimicikamak (Cross Lake), Manitoba. She was born and raised on the Cross Lake Reserve. After she graduated high school she moved to Winnipeg, to further her education. As a multi-sport athlete/coach, Loryn worked alongside kids from all backgrounds-mostly Indigenous, through wrestling, soccer, basketball, badminton, and canoe/kayaking. Loryn also worked with kids/teenagers as a youth addictions counsellor in Winnipeg for 2 years. In October 2022 Loryn moved to Cambridge Bay, Nunavut to work as a full-time wrestling coach and counsellor.

  • Haley Heffel

    ASSISTANT COACH

    Haley is a highly accomplished wrestler with national titles and multiple appearances on the Canadian national wrestling team representing the maple leaf at World Championships and Pan-American Championships. She spent her university career as a Panda at t he University of Alberta while she completed both her Bachelors of Kinesiology and then Bachelor of Education. During that time, Haley had collected multiple conference and national medals while receiving the Outstanding Wrestler award twice. Her proudest moment as a student - athlete was receiving the Kathleen Yetman Award in 2022 that is given to the highest performing athlete and student at the University of Alberta, the first UofA wrestler to receive it. Haley was the assistant Panda’s coach in the season of 2022 - 2023, helping them win a national championship. Today, she works as an elementary physical education teacher