Residential School Champions

Explore the full digitized scrapbook below.

The Territorial Experimental Ski Training Program (TEST) is often remembered as a breakthrough in northern sport. But its foundation was laid long before the program existed — in Old Crow, where children and teenagers ran, skied, and trained on their own land, supported by a community that believed in them long before any government did. Father Mouchet coached them, but the strength came from the land and the people.

Old Crow proved what Arctic Indigenous Youth were capable of. Then, in 1967, the rest of Canada finally saw it.

1967 — The First Canada Winter Games

When the first Canada Winter Games were held in Quebec City, the new government town of Inuvik sent a team of residential school students — Gwich’in, Inuvialuit, and Sahtu Dene Youth taken from their home communities and placed in residential school.

They were coached by Father Mouchet. They were far from home. They were teenagers. And they were unstoppable.

The Girls — A Northern Sweep

  • Janet Tourangeau (Sahtu Dene) — Gold

  • Eva Tourangeau (Sahtu Dene) — Silver

  • Anita Allen (Gwich’in/Inuvialuit) — Bronze

  • Margaret Steen (Inuvialuit) — Top finish

It was one of the most dominant performances in Canadian ski history — and it came from residential school students.

The Boys — The North Arrives

  • Fred Kelly (Sahtu Dene)

  • John Turo (Sahtu Dene)

  • Harold Cook (Sahtu Dene)

  • John Ross (Gwich’in)

  • Antoine Mountain (Sahtu Dene)

They raced with determination, placed well, and proved that northern Indigenous Youth were not just competitive — they were contenders.

These teenagers — taken from their families, living under strict and often harmful conditions — became the new powerhouse of junior skiing in Canada.

Their performances announced a truth the rest of the country had never seen before:

Indigenous athletes from the Arctic were not just competitive — they were champions.

The Birth of TEST (1967)

The success of the Inuvik residential school teenagers — combined with a decade of dominance from the Old Crow Skiers — forced the system to respond.

If northern Indigenous Youth could sweep national podiums with almost no resources, what could they do with real coaching and structured training?

To answer that question, the government brought in Bjørger Pettersen, a Norwegian‑trained coach whose philosophy matched the natural endurance and discipline of the Youth.

TEST began in the fall of 1967, after three years of Father Mouchet’s evaluation.

It was created as a development and research project.

TEST Had Clear Objectives

  • Combine land‑based strength with modern training

  • Create a pathway to national and Olympic teams

  • Develop world‑class Indigenous athletes

What TEST Produced

  • National champions

  • North American champions

  • World Championship competitors

  • Olympians

For the first time in Canadian history, Indigenous Youth from Inuvik became Team Canada — the majority of the national ski team.

Their success was not a miracle. It was investment, coaching, community, and the natural strength of Indigenous Youth.

1972 — Sapporo: When the North Became the Team

Six of Canada’s eight cross‑country skiers came from the North — an achievement unmatched in Canadian sport history.

  • Roseanne Allen (Gwich’in/Inuvialuit)

  • Shirley Firth (Gwich’in)

  • Sharon Firth (Gwich’in)

  • Roger Allen (Gwich’in/Inuvialuit)

  • Fred Kelly (Sahtu Dene)

These Youth — many still in residential school — carried Canada onto the world stage.

1976 — The North Returns to the Olympics

  • Ernie Lennie (Sahtu Dene)

  • Bert Bullock (Gwich’in)

  • Sharon Firth (Gwich’in)

  • Shirley Firth (Gwich’in)

After 1972 and 1976, the Firth twins continued into two more Olympic Games:

  • 1980 Lake Placid

  • 1984 Sarajevo

Four consecutive Olympics — a record unmatched by any Indigenous women in global cross‑country skiing.

Their careers proved that Indigenous excellence was not temporary — it was sustainable, elite, and world‑leading.

And Then — The Support Disappeared

Despite all this success — despite proving Indigenous excellence on the world stage — the program that introduced hundreds of residential school kids to skiing was ended.

The athletes who had given everything, who had represented Canada with pride, who had carried the North onto the world stage, were left with nothing:

  • No long‑term support

  • No transition programs

  • No recognition

  • No pathway forward

Indigenous excellence was proven — and then the support disappeared.

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Black and white photograph of four boys in winter clothing, standing on skis outdoors in snow, each with a bib number 11, 7, 19, and 31, holding ski poles. There is a handwritten note below the photo that reads: 'The 1967 N.W.T. boys team - John Turo
Black and white photo of a young woman wearing a knit hat and a dark winter jacket, holding a numbered sign, outdoors in a winter environment.
Vintage photo of four young girls in winter sports gear with skis and poles, standing on snow at a winter games event, with a banner behind them indicating the event and their participation.
A scrapbook page with multiple black and white photographs from 1965 of winter skiing and cross country racing, with handwritten captions describing the events and participants.
A collage of black and white and color photographs from 1964 and 1967, depicting early cross-country skiing events and a historic moment in northern skiing history. Includes images of skiers on snowy terrain, the old Crow ski team, and a handshake be
A group of children and teenagers in winter clothing posing for a photo at a ski resort, with ski equipment on the wall behind them. Below, additional black and white photos depict activities like skate sharpening, slalom skiing, and toggling, with h
Collage of black and white and color photos and handwritten notes about a skating race. Photos include skiers, a starting line, and children. Handwritten notes mention racers, a car, and resting after a race.
A scrapbook page with typed information about 1968 boy's ski team members, Roger Allen, Harold Cook, and Fred Kelly, including their photos and descriptions. Includes three additional photos at the bottom, one of two girl skiers, a coach, and a girl
Historical page with text about 1968 Invnik Ski Club team members, including Maurice Lennie, John Turo, Anita Allen, Rose Ann Allen, with photos of a young woman holding skis, a skier in action, and a snowy landscape.
A collage of black-and-white and color photographs and text about the 1968 girls' ski team from Invuk, featuring team members Sharon Firth, Shirley Firth, and Janet Tourangeau. The photos include team members in uniforms, two action shots of a skier,
A collage of black and white photographs from a ski training program, including skiers racing and resting, with handwritten labels and explanations.
Black and white image of a group of skiers in costumes talking with a woman in a ski outfit, with a caption indicating it is from a 1968 newspaper. A separate photo of a smiling young man with skis is also included, along with an article about Inuvik
A scrapbook page with black and white photographs of young skiers. The photos include kids receiving awards, preparing for ski training, and competing in races. Names like Janet Tourangeau, Maurice Lennon, Sharon Firth, Fred Kelly, Fred Masezumi, and
A newspaper clipping from March 22, 1968, featuring a headline about a boxing match between Johnson and McCarthy, with a red and white banner saying 'THREE'S A CROWD'. Below is an article about Canadian ski champions, including photos of two young sk
A newspaper clipping about invasiveness and Alaskan skiers, featuring three black-and-white photographs. The top photo shows three individuals at a ski event; one is holding a microphone. The middle photo shows a young skier, John Turo, standing with
Collage of black and white images of young male athletes and a photographer, labeled with their names and numbers, related to ski training.
Collection of black-and-white photographs of children and young adults participating in cross-country skiing during winter, with trees and snowy landscapes in the background. Each photo is labeled with the person's name, such as Roseanne Allen, David
Black and white photographs of children and adults skiing outdoors in winter, labeled with their names, with the title 'Superb Skiing Techniques' at the top.
A scrapbook page featuring black and white photographs of children and adults participating in a winter ski training program, with labels identifying individuals and activities.
A person cross-country skiing on a snowy forest trail, dressed in winter sports gear including a headband and ski boots, holding ski poles.