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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - A new set of soccer players made their debut at the Connie Loutit Memorial Tournament.

Ten students from the Charles Yohin School in Nahanni Butte competed at the event. This was the first time that students from the school have ever been in a soccer tournament, said Wayne Ingarfield, the school's principal.

Melvin Lomen, right, of Nahanni Butte goes after the ball during a game against Hay River in the U-14 division at the Connie Loutit Memorial Tournament last week. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

The students' attendance at the tournament was all the more significant because of their limited soccer experience.

"They've only actually played for days," said Ingarfield.

On March 25, two days before the tournament, Paul Stipdonk, a facilitator from Fort Simpson went to Nahanni Butte and spent an hour that afternoon working on drills and the rules of indoor soccer with the players in the community's new recreation centre. Another hour the next morning concluded their formal soccer training.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs and the Mackenzie Recreation Association sponsored the clinic.

Before that, the extent of the students' soccer knowledge was that you kick it from net to net and avoid touching the ball with your hands, said Ingarfield. The students had played the sport outside before during physical education periods but it was very basic and involved using things like spare shoes as goal posts, he said.

The students, however, didn't let inexperience stand in their way at the tournament.

The four male students, Melvin Vital, Josh Bertrand, Logan Matou and Riley Matou picked up enough spare players, primarily from Fort Simpson, to make a team for the U-14 division. Coached by Eric Ewing the team played four round robin games. In its final game the Nahanni Butte team had its closest score, losing only 7-5 to the Diamond Jenness Secondary School Blue team from Hay River.

Two other teams took on the six female players. Destiny Ekotla, Charla Isaiah-Marcellais and Leanna Vital played with the Fort Simpson Bompas U-12 team. Lory-Ann Bertrand, Stephanie Betsaka and Jolene Betsaka were picked up by the Cambridge Bay U14 team.

The team won all four of its round robin games and the banner in its division. Meeting the Nahanni Butte girls and playing with them was one of the highlights of the tournament for the team, said Anne Daniel, the Cambridge Bay coach.

During one of the round robin games Jolene Betsaka scored a goal.

"The goal for Nahanni Butte meant a lot for our girls," Daniel said.

Playing with the team was "really great," said Stephanie Betsaka, 15.

"It's awesome meeting other people and learning more about soccer," she said.

Betsaka said she'd definitely play in another soccer tournament if she had the chance.

The tournament was a good learning experience for the students, said Ingarfield. It allowed them to get out and play against more experienced athletes, he said.

Despite some of their players' success at the tournament fielding a whole soccer team isn't likely to be part of the Charles Yohin School's future plans.

Nahanni Butte just isn't large enough to ever have the number of players you need for a team, said Ingarfield. The students will continue to play recreational soccer, but the school will focus on individual sports such as archery, biathlon and badminton, he said.