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HAY RIVER - Young curlers from Fort Simpson brought home a complete set of medals, including gold, silver and bronze, from the NWT School Curling Championship.

"This year we did really, really good," said coach Berni Leader.

Joelle Charlie sends a rock down the ice for a Bompas elementary school little rock team at the NWT School Curling Championship. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Twenty-seven students on seven teams from Bompas elementary school and Thomas Simpson school competed at the event in Hay River from Feb. 13 to 15. The little rock team of Trent Arden, Lauren Lafferty, Sarah Verge and Harley Betsedea won gold in their division and brought back the banner for their school.

The little rock team of Jordan Weinert, Emily Verge, Sky Lennie and Rebecca Bird, a player from Fort Smith, were one step down on the podium wearing silver medals.

After playing five games at the tournament the two teams from Bompas were almost tied. The team with Trent Arden had six points after winning three games and losing two. The team with Jordan Weinert had seven points after three wins, one tie and one loss.

The final game between the two teams illustrated what's important for the Fort Simpson curlers, said Leader. Even though medals were on the line that wasn't the focus for either team.

"The winning team didn't even know they won," said Leader.

"It wasn't about winning or losing. They were just there to curl and have fun."

Arden, 9, who was on the gold medal team agrees.

"It's just fun," said Arden as an explanation for why he curls.

During the finals Arden said the team was good at getting stones in the house, which helped them win.

Going into the finals, Jordan Weinert, 8, said her team knew it would be a tough game because they'd seen their schoolmates play before. Getting second, however, still came with a good feeling, she said.

When it comes to sports it's important to have a good attitude whether you tie, lose or win, said Weinert.

"I think it's a good thing to cheer on the other team you're playing against as well," she said.

To round off the medal winnings the junior team of Hilary Charlie, Amie Charlie, Jennifer Gast and Katrina Browning won bronze in their division.

The medal placing in that division was decided in a throw off because the village team and a team from Hay River were both tied after six games.

During the throw off each player threw one rock and awarded points based on its proximity to the button. The Hay River team won 3-0 giving them second place and putting Fort Simpson in third, said Leader.

The little rock division is for curlers ages 10 and under. They play four ends on half sheets. Junior curlers in Grades 9 to six play on the full sheet.

Overall, every team from the village did well at the championship, said Leader.

"From the first game they played to the last game they played their skills doubled," he said.