INUVIK
An Inuvik-based team of junior curlers swept their way on March 1 and 2 to a spot at next year's Canada Winter Games.

Decklen Crocker, left, Ethan Allen and Braeden Picek are heading to the Canada Winter Games in 2015 after a four-game sweep of a Yellowknife team two weeks ago at the Inuvik Curling Club. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

Team members Decklen Crocker, Ethan Allen and Braeden Picek of Inuvik teamed up with Logan Gagnier of Hay River to sweep the Yellowknife team in four straight games. The final game was an exhibition tilt, but it didn't make any difference in the Inuvik team's domination over the weekend.

Picek said he didn't expect to sweep the Yellowknife team in so dominating a fashion, especially since his team had only been playing together since the beginning of January. The team won 8-4, 6-5 and 9-3, Crocker said.

"The second game was way harder," Picek said.

He's a relative newcomer to the sport with about three years of experience, but not as raw as Allen, who began curling only when the team formed.

"I wanted to go to the Canada Winter Games because it seems like a great opportunity that not everyone gets," Allen said. "It's just kind of fun, and I wanted the experience for this team and future teams."

Picek said he wanted to go to the Canada Winter Games for the travel opportunity, and because he's been "seizing" every sports opportunity he could, while Crocker said he wanted the experience and the chance to see other top-rated teams play and to gain more experience.

"I've never been to Prince George," Picek said with some enthusiasm.

The northern B.C. city is the site of the 2015 games.

Crocker is the veteran, with approximately seven years of experience. He also played with a team at the recent national curling championships on the East Coast.

Interestingly, until the chance to compete for the Canada Winter Games slot came along, Picek said he was considering abandoning the sport.

"I was going to quit this year until I got the call," he said. "I felt like junior curling had gotten a little boring, a little easy this year, until we started going into bigger training. You can only do the same thing for so long."

The team is being coached by Stephanie Crocker, who said she's very proud of what the curlers accomplished.

"They worked really hard for it, they put in extra practices throwing rocks, and they came together and played as a team. I couldn't have asked for a better go at it," she said.