LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - Fort Simpson may not have won any competitive divisions at this past weekend's Connie Loutit Memorial Soccer Tournament, but the village made up for it in terms of sheer chutzpah.

Case in point: one team wore pink T-shirt emblazoned with the caption "Got Balls."

Grade 9 student Nikita Larter of Fort Simpson, who played on the Girls 14 and under team, said she began playing soccer five years ago and hasn't stopped since. - Guy Quenneville/NNSL photos

More importantly, as Fort Simpson student Nikita Larter pointed out, "This was a small tournament compared to the others, but it was still fun."

The tournament, sponsored by Mackenzie Recreation Association, was co-organized by Paul Stipdonk of Fort Simpson and Behchoko coach Michael Botermans.

Players from Fort Simpson, Behchoko, Fort Liard, Calgary, Dettah, Ndilo, Fort Providence, Yellowknife and Grande Prairie mixed it up on and off the court inside the village's recreation centre, with youth naturally also frequenting the community's Northern Store (here's looking at you, Pizza Hut Express.)

Teams from Chief Jimmy Bruno took first place in three divisions: girls 12 and under; girls 14 and under; and boys 16 and under.

A team from Bompass Elementary School came in second place in the girls 12 and Under category.

Teams from Thomas Simpson School ranked second in both girls 14 and under as well as boys 16 and under, while coming in third in the Ladies Open.

"We played really well," said Larter, who played on the girls 14 and under Team.

Larter, a Grade 9 student who was born in Inuvik but has lived in Fort Simpson for the past eight years, began playing soccer in Grade 4 and hasn't let up since.

"I tried it because I'd never played it before and it looked really interesting," she said of the sport.

Overall, her team won two games, lost two and tied once during the weekend.

She and her teammates have improved immeasurably over the years, she said.

"We've been at the top of our game for a lot of years," said Larter.

Devan Horassi, also of Fort Simpson, played on the boys 14 and under team, but theirs was the only team in that division, so teams of girls were assembled for them to square off against.

In all, his team played three games, and he boasted none-too-modestly, "We won all of them."

He then added it was good to have the opportunity to play.

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Who was Connie Loutit?

Who was Connie Loutit, the woman in whose honor last weekend's soccer tournament was named? Chris Kingsbury, principal of Bompass Elementary School, and Paul Stipdonk, co-organizer of this year's tournament, filled Deh Cho Drum in.

Kingsbury: "For many years, she was a secretary at Bompass and sadly she died of cancer. So this tournament is named after her."

Stipdonk: "She was quite active in the soccer community. She had two daughters and she had them playing out from kindergarten on. The girls went on to join a team in Calgary, I think. They went to the Canada Games.

"She was very supportive and did a lot of volunteer work. To keep her memory alive, we make this an annual event."