Kugluktuk, Nunavut, students glued to Blue Jays playoff run
'It's a mad house and people are really enjoying themselves,' says teacher John Hudson
You don't have to be living in Toronto to feel the buzz from the Blue Jays playoff run — in Kugluktuk, Nunavut, students at the high school haven't missed a game.
In the Arctic coastal community of about 1,500 people, students have been crowding in the school library to watch every playoff game on the big screen TV.
"The library in this school is a community meeting place, it's a community centre," says English and social studies teacher John Hudson, who left Halifax last year to teach in Kugluktuk.
"These students, like most of the rest of Canada, are very interested in what's going on in Major League Baseball right now."
Marcus Kokak, 16, has happily jumped on the Blue Jays bandwagon.
"I was never a baseball fan until like a month ago," he says. "My favourite part of the game is when they're hitting the ball and the bases are loaded and when the next player gets a home run."
Hudson also thought it might be fun if the students score the games while they watch.
"I got some score sheets and set them up with the lineups, told them how to do it," Hudson says. "And we watched the game and talked to one another about what's the proper scoring for a given play or in a given inning."
'I just can't explain how happy I'm doing'
Last night, the Jays took on the Kansas City Royals in a do-or-die Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, and about 30 students packed into the school library.
"When things happen, the place goes crazy," Hudson said during the game. "It's a mad house and people are really enjoying themselves."
"I just can't explain how happy I'm doing," said 12-year-old Mackenzie Demerah.
"My favourite player is Marco Estrada. Today he pitched 108 [times] before he was kicked out."
Kokak said the library got especially loud when Chris Colabello hit a home run.
"When they started scoring their home run it was crazy," Kokak said. "Everyone was cheering them on.
"I [saw] so much potential in them that they will win this game, after they got their momentum going."
And win they did. The Jays pulled off a 7-1 victory over the Royals. Game 6 will be Friday in Kansas City.
Demerah can barely contain her excitement when she thinks about the Blue Jays potentially going to the World Series.
"Out of one to 10, I would probably be at 100."