Joey Payeur
If Team Ontario has as much teamwork going for it as two of its squad members do, it is going to be in great shape.
Supportive sisters Jacy and Ayiana Gagne, members of the Fort Frances Aquanauts, will be part of the province’s contingent at the North American Indigenous Games from July 16-23 in Toronto.
Jacy, 15, and Ayiana, 13, are not your stereotypical teen siblings by virtue of the fact they get along so well, and are more about giving each other compliments rather than a hard time.
The sisters, who each started with the Aquanauts when they were seven, similarly are thrilled to get the chance to go up against the best indigenous swimmers in their respective age groups.
“It means a lot to represent Ontario,” said Jacy, a backstroke specialist who just recently found out that she would be joining her sister on the trip.
“It’s really important and really rewarding.
“It’s a lot to take in,” she added. “It’s a shock to me still.
“I didn’t think it was that big of a deal,” Jacy admitted. “Then I did some research and it’s huge.”
The realization she was going to attend the cross-continent showcase of sport hit Ayiana in a most emotional and timely fashion.
“I immediately started crying,” recalled the younger Gagne, whose best events are in the freestyle middle distances.
“It was so cool to have it be my 13th birthday and to find out,” she noted.
“It’s such a blessing to be given such an amazing opportunity like this.”
Ayiana said mental preparation will be a crucial part of getting ready for taking on such top-calibre competition.
“You’ve got to believe in yourself,” she reasoned. “You’ve just got to know where you’re at and don’t second-guess yourself.”
In her early years with the Aquanauts, Jacy didn’t envision herself ever being in this position.
“Once I started working harder and got better, and then I heard about [NAIG], it was crazy,” she recounted.
“I wanted to get there so bad,” she added. “Now that I can say that I did it, it’s the best feeling ever.”
Just thinking about entering the opening ceremonies with Team Ontario is giving Jacy goose bumps.
“When I first tried out to make the team, I watched highlights of past opening ceremonies and I could picture myself being there,” she remarked.
“It brought a warm feeling to my heart . . . I literally pictured myself in that [Team Ontario] jacket and I became obsessed with the idea.”
Ayiana, meanwhile, plans to maximize the NAIG experience to her full benefit.
“I want to learn from the bigger swimmers, watch what they can do, and see if I can do it myself,” she said.
“I hope to get some tips from the more experienced swimmers so hopefully I’ll become one of the better ones myself.”
Despite having no idea yet what events they will be swimming in Toronto, the sisters are not putting a ceiling on their expectations.
Those expectations include winding up with a medal or two, or more, around their necks.
“I’m so happy to think about something like that happening,” said Ayiana.
“If I look at it as if it will happen, that will give me the best opportunity to succeed.”
Jacy was on the same page.
“I’ve got to work really hard and have the right mentality to prepare for that,” she remarked.
“If it doesn’t happen, I’ll just be grateful to be there.
“But to make the podium would be unbelievable,” Jacy added. “If it does happen, I don’t even know what I’ll do.”
