INUVIK - Facing players four times their age and with a ton of experience, members of The Karly King Simpson curling team could have approached the ladies' bonspiel in Whitehorse as nothing more than a tune-up exercise.

Facing far more experienced curlers, members of the Karly King Simpson curling team more than held their own at the ladies' bonspiel in Whitehorse. From left, Carina McKay-Saturnino, Shannon Baetz, new teammate Hilary Charlie, and Karly King Simpson. Missing from photo: Rayna Vittrekwa. - Andrew Rankin/NNSL photo

But that's never been the way this gritty foursome of 11 and 12-year-old athletes have approached any of its tournaments in three years they've been together.

Turns out the team of Carina McKay-Saturnino, Rayna Vittrekwa, Shannon Baetz and Karly King Simpson were the youngest squad of the 10-team competition that came from as far as Yellowknife and Canmore, Alta. to compete in the Nov. 6 weekend tournament.

Though the local gals didn't dominate their opponents, they did come away with a solid record of two wins, two loses and two ties. One of those ties was against the reigning Junior Yukon champs made up of 14 to 16-year-olds.

"We were really happy about that one," said Carina with a wide smile.

They all agree the team's youngest player, Rayna, curled the best that game.

"Rayna might have because she was doing draws really well," said Karly. "She was drawing really close to the button."

Though they faced off against two junior women's teams, the girls also went up against women around 40 and 50 years-old.

This isn't the first time the Karly King Simpson curling team have gone up against much older opponents. The squad faced off against several senior, talented curlers last year at the Canadian North bonspiel held here at the curling club. Except this time the results were much better and with stiffer competition, the girls added.

Coach Nick Saturnino travelled with the girls and said he saw a marked improvement.

"All in all it was a very successful weekend," said Nick. "They showed improvement. They gelled as a team. They were quite pleased and so was I."

Now they have their sights set on the territorial curling championships in Hay River next month. The squad's hoping to place second out of the three or four teams that are expected to compete there to qualify for the 2010 Optimist International Under 18 Curling Championships in Regina. The tournament, which will be held in April, will boast 12 teams from Canada, northern United States, and two teams from Asia.

The Polar Bears have picked up a fifth curler, Hilary Charlie, who said she's excited to join the girls. Her teammates are more than happy to bring aboard more talent. Hilary, they say, boasts a great slide.

The girls said they'll try their best and try to remember their coach's mantra.

"He tells us never to think negatively," said Shannon.