Pooja Chugh - NWT Elite Athlete
Pooja Chugh has recently joined the ranks of a handful of extremely talented Northwest Territories athletes who have competed in not only one, but two sports at a single Canada Games. Representing the NWT in both squash and badminton at the 2011 Canada Winter Games in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Pooja has demonstrated to the country that she has what it takes as an elite athlete.
This young lady was involved in a great variety of activities at a young age, such as volleyball, soccer, basketball, badminton, squash, tennis, curling, figure skating and speed skating, but she began to specialize in racquet sports as she reached her teens. Since then, Pooja has become as high performance athlete in squash, badminton and tennis, and has competed in such events as the Canada Summer Games, Canada Winter Games, and Arctic Winter Games, as well as in various national competitions. In 2010, she was the gracious recipient of Sport North’s Junior Female Athlete of the Year Award.
Currently a grade 12 student in Yellowknife, Pooja plans on attending university next fall and says that she will be influenced by sport when deciding on a place of study; schools will well-established squash and tennis programs will provide more of an attraction. Regardless of where she goes, she aims to complete her Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and to subsequently apply to medical school.
Amidst all of her schoolwork and training, Pooja still finds the time to generously devote herself as a volunteer with the NWT-Alberta Multiple Sclerosis Society and the NWT Council of Persons with Disabilities, the latter of which she is a board member. Additionally, she spends time mentoring and coaching younger children.
We wish Pooja the best of luck with her future educational and athletic endeavors!
