Whitehorse’s Sarah Cave is off to Cologne, Germany to compete in the 2023 World Dwarf Games (WDG).

The games run from July 28 to Aug. 5.

Cave, 16, is competing in Junior B Archery, Junior B Basketball, Junior C Track and Field, and Junior B Volleyball, Soccer and Doubles Boccia.

She previously competed in the 2017 games in Guelph, where she won two medals: a gold in Floor Hockey and a bronze in Frisbee Toss.

The Star spoke with the Caves – Sarah, her father Chris and mother Randi – on Saturday before the family left for Cologne on Sunday.

Chris Cave explained that it is a busy schedule for Sarah, but each sport is on a different day.

“It’s quite spread out, similar to what happened in Guelph.”

Sarah was asked what her favourite sport is.

“I’m excited for basketball,” she replied. “Cause it’s fun to compete and do that with my friends.

“I’m looking forward to also playing soccer and volleyball.”

When asked how she felt about seeing some people that she made friends with before at the games, Sarah said she’s “really excited for that.”

She said it felt good to have her parents with her at the games.

Chris explained, “Originally, it was just going to be Randi and Sarah going but we decided, I guess, that I would go as well.”

He said the thinking was that he could give them help with “directions and trying to figure stuff out and supporting Sarah, because Randi and I support her in different ways.”

Randi is also helping coach Sarah’s team in soccer and volleyball.

Chris was asked how it feels to have Sarah competing in the games.

“I love it, actually. She plays other sports in Whitehorse with average size kids. Same age actually. In hockey, she plays with younger girls. So with Sarah being able to compete with people her same abilities and size, I think it’s great.”

Randi referred to the games as an “even playing field” for Sarah.

Sarah was the captain of the Yukon Wild all-girls’ traveling hockey team for the last two years.

Chris doesn’t usually participate in Sarah’s coaching, but said he’ll “help out if need be. As of right now, they have enough coaches. If they don’t, then I can definitely help out.

“It’s really difficult because we’re from the Yukon. A lot of the athletes are from Ontario, B.C., so it’s really hard to have everyone so spread apart. Pretty tough to actually coach. You’re just more organizing the kids and supporting them.”

Sarah is the only Yukon athlete in the 2023 WDG.

“So she plays with her peers here, which is good,” related Chris.

As for preparation for the games, Randi said Sarah “did a lot through school. Her gym teacher was very curious and excited about her sports. Her gym teacher practiced a lot of sports that way and then we’ll go out and shoot the basketball and play sports with her. So we kind of do it on our own.”

When asked how long she’s been coaching Sarah, Randi replied, “About two days.”

She said that they’re part of the Dwarf Athletics Association of Canada (DAAC) that is organizing Team Canada.

“I am a board member of that group and it’s basically a call for volunteers. I get the kids to organize, they all know the rules of sport, all the guidelines that have been sent out to all the parents, so it’s more around kind of getting them together, being a team and playing with respect to sport.”

Randi said Team Canada has also been setting up Zoom calls for the athletes.

“Kids have been getting to know each other and what positions they want to play. And so we’ve been doing a lot of virtual team building.

“A lot of the athletes that are going to Cologne competed in the 2017 games in Guelph and Sarah has some past friends she’s competing with and she’s matched up with a friend of hers from Ontario by the name of Sara (Ghods) to do Double Boccia, so it’s kind of fun that way.”

Sarah is also participating in the 40 Metre Shuttle, part of a team of four. The Shuttle is similar to a relay race.

Randi said Sarah getting to know her teammates virtually helps build team camaraderie.

Chris said Sarah’s major sponsors include Trevor Twardochleb of Sport Yukon and Nuway Crushing.

The late Travis Adams of Nuway Crushing knew Sarah quite well, resulting in Nuway Crushing being a major sponsor for Sarah.

Sarah also had bottle drives to raise funds to pay for transportation and lodging for the games.

Community members added to her account at Raven Recycling.

“There was a lot of bottle drives,” related Sarah.

Chris said, “We had a lot of community support which without that, I don’t think we’d be able to afford to actually go to the games.”

When asked how competitive the Dwarf Games are, Sarah replied, “It’s really competitive.”

Randi related that “The teams are competitive and really love to compete, but it’s about inclusivity.”

According to Randi, there are over 200 forms of Dwarfism. She said the games are about “allowing everyone to participate, but they still have a drive to win, no matter what.”

Sarah was asked if she likes to compete and replied, “Maybe.

“And have fun, too.”

The 2023 World Dwarf Games has 29 countries and over 500 athletes competing.

“It’s the largest Dwarf Games so far,” said Randi.

The 2023 games are the eighth WDG so far.

The games involve athletes from ages seven to 72 sorted into different age categories.

When asked if she would like to do this as long as she can, Sarah responded, “Yeah, I would really like to do that.”

The opening ceremonies are this Friday. The games go until Aug. 5.

The WDG can be followed on a Facebook page under the Dwarf Athletic Association of Canada. A videographer has been hired to record video of the athletes competing.

For more information on the World Dwarf Games, go to https://wdg2023.com