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INUVIK - If you're looking for a lesson in perseverance, you'll find it in four Polar Bears who curled their way to first from worst, all in a span of a year.

That's what the quartet of 11 and 12-year-olds, including Carina Saturnino, Shannon Baetz, Karly King Simpson and Rayna Vittrekwa call themselves, and their ferocity was certainly on display when they swept away the competition with a record of 4-0 at the Junior Curling Bonspiel in Whitehorse on the March 6 weekend.

The Inuvik Polar Bears captured first place at the Junior Curling Bonspiel in Whitehorse earlier this month. Team members include, from left, Rayna Vittrekwa, Shannon Baetz, Karly King Simpson and Carina Saturnino. - photo courtesy of Nick Saturnino

Not bad for a group of girls that went winless (0-4) at the same event last year.

When the dust settled at the two-day tournament there was no question who dominated as the hometown squad finished with 54 points, 17 up from the second place Triple KB's from Whitehorse. And they walked away with some pretty fancy prizes for their effort.

They attribute it all to hard work and dedication.

All season long they've been practising five to six times a week, determined to improve.

Carina said her dad, Nick, who coached the team this year and last, was instrumental in their success.

"He told us if we work hard, good things will come and to always think positive," said the smiling 11-year-old.

"He always says if you think you can't do it, you can't do it."

The tournament centred on a points system which tallied wins and scores for various shots.

Team skip Karly King Simpson was the only player who placed a rock on the button, which earned her team five points.

The sharp shooter was quick to deflect credit to her teammates and her mother Karen, who was always ready to fill in for Nick on the rare occasion he wasn't around. But she said their faithful coach deserved a lot of credit.

"He told us that if we fight with each other we're not going to win," said Simpson. "We said to each other during the tournament that we haven't fought at all and we won all of our games."

The girls were joined by another local team, the Ice Devils. The squad of nine nine-year-olds ended up with a record of 1-3 and had 22 points. They placed fourth overall, a placing the squad should be proud of, said Nick, because of their hard work and dedication.

Both Karly and Carina said the Polar Bears have stuck together because they believe in each other.

It's the end of a great season for the girls. Just last month they captured bronze in the B division at the prestigious Hay River School Curling Championships, which featured some of the finest talent in the NWT. Just a few weeks later they went head-to-head against curlers three and four times their age in the Canadian North Bonspiel.

The girls are already looking forward to an even better season next year. They hope to travel again to Hay River and do even better, and even perhaps compete in the territorial championships.

For now they'll savour the victories along with their coach.

"They worked so hard this year," said Nick. "We've told them if they work hard, good things will come. They were really consistent. They really played well as a team this time.

"I'm proud of them."