For Team Manitoba players and coaches, the countdown is on for North American Indigenous Games

TheNorth American Indigenous Games (NAIG) are less than a month awayand players from Team Manitoba are doing what they can to make sure they're ready.

"It means a lot to me to be a part of a thing like this big and to represent Manitoba in this way," saidTyson Christensen, who plays for Manitoba's U19 basketball team.

Athletes from 26regions throughout North America are set to compete in 16 different sportsinHalifax, Dartmouth, N.S., and Millbrook First Nation, July 15-23.

Christensen, who only started playing basketball a little over a year ago, saidhe moved to Winnipeg from St. Laurent, about80 kilometres northwest of the city,to have more opportunities to play the sport.

"There wasn't much for basketball out there, so I moved to Winnipeg," said Christensen.

"That was pretty hard by myself;it was a weird transition."

Now the Mtis teen, standingsix feet six inches tall,plays on two club teams, a high school team andtheManitoba NAIG team andtrains at least every other day.

While he initially made the U19 NAIG team as an alternate, the moment a spot opened uphe was determined to train as much as he could and use his height to his advantage.

"I was not as good as I am today," saidChristensen.

He saidwith a lot of other really tall guys, the team's fast speed and their ability to handle the ball, he feels confident going to the games.

Shaye Kemball, head coach for the U16 female softball team, saidtaking part in a high-level tournament means a lot to her team, many of whom aspire to play softball in college.

"They're all super excited to represent Manitoba and do their best that they can," saidKemball.

"A lot of them haven't had these chances and these opportunities and just be able to wear Manitoba across their chest."

The softball team started gatheringin Januaryto practise and since then, Kemball said, they've started to take care of one another.

The team bonded through making ribbon skirts.

"Everyone has grown a crazy amount on the diamond and even off the diamond," saidKemball.

Keith Mason, the U19 basketball team's head coach, isfeeling good about his 12 players heading into next month's games.

"A lot of progress has been made in the last few months with player development, team development ....I'm confident in our chances of winning," saidMason.

"They've all become friends off the court so it makes things on the court easier."

Mason wentto previousgamesas both an athlete and coach and said it was a good experience for himseeing other Indigenous athletes and different cultures.

"It will be a chance for them to experience what an international tournament is like," saidMason.