There are few things more debilitating to an aspiring hockey player than the lack of a facility where they can constantly practice and improve their skills.

Self-made, backyard rinks are fine for games of shinny, and the beginning stages of a youngsters' skating career, but even Wayne Gretzky, who famously twirled with his father Walter in their backyard, had to take his game into an official arena in order to make that next jump.

Unfortunately for the citizens of Dawson, that's not always a possibility. While Whitehorse athletes are able to skate laps inside Takhini Arena or the Canada Games Centre pretty much year-round, Dawson's infamous recreation centre sits silent for the majority of the season. The ice is only available to the town's hockey players two months out of the year January and February.

That doesn't stop the citizens of the northern Yukon town though. In this year's annual Yukon Indian Hockey Association tournament, Dawson entered squads in the adult B division, youth division and several players in the newly-formed Jamoboree event. They also lent a few coaches and time keepers for the events, and helped with fundraising.

For all their hard work, the first nations community in Dawson was presented with the Harry Allen Memorial Leadership Award at the conclusion of the tournament in March. It wasn't until earlier this month that the coaches and organizers from the community actually held the trophy in their hands and had photos taken.

'The award is very important to me and where these kids go with hockey,' said Roy Johnson, who has been in charge of the Dawson hockey teams for the native tournament since 1999. 'It's a real honour for our kids to play for their city and it's nice to get the recognition, especially with all the negative publicity Dawson has been receiving lately.'

It was about four years ago that Johnson, who was a member of the Dawson City Nuggets team that travelled to Ottawa in 1997, rallied the community around the idea of entering a youth team in the native tournament, and shortly thereafter, the Wolf Pack was born. Bruce Taylor and Robert Keaton have coached the Wolf Pack, along with Johnson, since the beginning.

'A group of us got the kids back into playing hockey, mothers and parents,' recalled Sharon Keaton, a hockey parent and resident of Dawson for 19 years, who just recently moved to Whitehorse. 'We just said, We need to bring hockey back to Dawson.'

'We really had nothing to start with. Basically, there are only two months we get indoor hockey in Dawson, so we don't have much ice time. But we entered a team the first year they introduced youth in the (native hockey) tournament and we've had a team there ever since.'

'Some kids couldn't even stand on skates (at the beginning),' added Johnson. 'But they're doing really well now.'

It was Sharon who accepted the award on behalf of the first nations community in Dawson, since the coaches and organizers had already left to head home when it was handed out. She said it was very unexpected, but truly welcome.

'It's really difficult for us to come from Dawson and try to play hockey. You're competing with Whitehorse-based kids. We're competing with a high level of skating.

We just want our kids to have fun, to skate and learn development. To be able to participate is good for them.'

Some of the athletes travel to Whitehorse in the summer for hockey camps and power skating clinics, but not all of them have that opportunity, said Sharon. It was for that reason Johnson came up with the idea of bringing hockey legend John Chabot to Dawson last year.

Chabot had talked to Johnson about the hockey school he runs and offered to come up and teach a skills camp for the kids.

'We were excited, but then also came the expenses,' explained Sharon.

Thanks to strong support from the community, they managed to bring Chabot up from Ottawa in January of last year.

The Klondike Youth Sports Society, started by a group of mothers to help financially support all sporting activities in Dawson, as well as the Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle were instrumental in getting Chabot to the territory.

Youth from the northern communities of Pelly, Faro and Old Crow were invited to join the camp in Dawson, which Sharon said was very successful.

'John gave us really good reviews. Basically, he told us we need to work on skating.'

This past January, the community brought Chabot back for another clinic and he was pleased with what he saw. There was a big improvement in the skating skills of the youth, as well as their work ethic.

'I'm hoping to see (Chabot's clinics) continue, and that we continue to support the youth in coming to Whitehorse for the tournament,' said Sharon.

'It's been a huge struggle for those kids. They want to skate. They suffer from the problems in Dawson.'

It's the parents and volunteers in the community that have showed dedication in improving the opportunities for the youth, she said. Coaches Robert and Bruce, as well as Mary Anne Knutson and Monique Van Bibber, have put in a lot of hard work. All of the other coaches in Dawson also deserve honourable mention, said Sharon.

'(Earlier this month) was the first time they saw that award and they were very happy. We're very thankful for all the hard work that the volunteers have put into it.'

'I'm just happy with the success that the kids have had and I hope it continues,' concluded Johnson.