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INUVIK - Months after the stunning victory, Shona Barbour still remembers the moment perfectly.

The Inuvik resident and her NWT/Yukon ladies curling team found themselves just ahead of defending Canadian and world champion Jennifer Jones and Team Canada at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Victoria last February.

Members of the NWT/Yukon Ladies Curling team pose for a group shot after being presented with their Team of the Year trophies by Matt Mossman, far right, at the annual Sport North Awards ceremony held in Yellowknife last month. From left, coach Fred Koe, Sharon Cormier (fifth player), Shona Barbour, Dawn Moses, and skip Kerry Galusha. Heather McCagg-Nystrom is missing from photo. - James McCarthy/NNSL photo

All Jones had to do was nail her last rock and the underdog's 10-8 victory would evaporate into a tie with the guarantee of extra ends.

"I remember leaning against the boards trying to get my heart rate down and my nerves under control," said Barbour.

Jones's shot failed to hit the target, leading to the monumental upset. National media swarmed the foursome as soon as they stepped off the ice.

"It wasn't until that point that we realized how big of a deal it was," she said.

Team Canada went on to win the tournament while Team NWT/Yukon missed making the playoffs with a four and seven record, even though those losses could have gone either way, coming down to the last rock.

Fast-forward to last month, when Barbour and her teammates Kerry Galusha, Dawn Moses, Heather McCagg-Nystrom, fifth player Sharon Cormier and coach Fred Koe were honoured with the Team of the Year award at the annual Sport North Awards ceremony held in Yellowknife to honour the region's best athletes.

The team of close friends is coming off another fine season, having won their fifth-straight NWT championship. Barbour said she was overwhelmed by the honour, especially to be able to share the floor with company such as Brendan Green of Hay River and Mike Argue of Yellowknife, who are both likely to compete at the 2010 Olympics.

She also said the award reflects the team's commitment to the sport throughout the year. With the help of sponsors, team members came from as far away as Fort Smith and Fort Simpson, and in some cases left young families behind to practise in Yellowknife twice a week during the season. The team also competes in many tournaments down south.

"It's a huge commitment," she said. "We're on the ice every single day. We're at the gym every morning to do fitness training. We all follow meal plans and nutrition plans. For women in sport, balancing careers and families, it takes a lot of work."

Curling since the age of 12 at the Yellowknife Curling Club, Barbour settled in Inuvik about five years ago.

Even though they are scattered across the North, she said she and her teammates are lucky to have a lot of support. Her longtime friend and curling mate Kerry Galusha's dad is team coach.

"We have good sponsorship," said Barbour." We have our families behind us and we take it seriously."

It doesn't hurt either that the squad has ton of combined national experience. This year they're aiming to win another NWT championship and hopefully get back to the Scotties with the goal of making the playoffs.

Either way, Koe said Barbour will be a central piece of the puzzle to another successful year thanks to her exceptional sweeping skills, uncanny ability to make big shots and enormous commitment. He hopes the team's latest honour will serve as an inspiration to them and other athletes across the North.

"Regardless of where you're from, if you put your mind to it and are committed to a task then you can achieve great things," said Koe. "We've overcome lots of obstacles by working hard and making a commitment to each other to be the best we can be."