GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALTA.
Four medal sets between six teams is the impressive standard Deh Cho athletes set last weekend in Grande Prairie.

Six athletes from Fort Liard helped the Deh Gah U14 girls team win gold at Ernie's Rock Around the Clock Indoor Soccer Tournament in Grande Prairie. The athletes include Megan Steeves, left Mikala McLeod, Holly Fantasque, Precious Hope, Nezioa Duntra and Abby Duntra. - photo courtesy of Roslyn Gardner Firth

Approximately 95 athletes representing every Deh Cho community except Trout Lake competed in Ernie's Rock Around the Clock Indoor Soccer Tournament from May 2 to 4. The involvement of athletes from so many communities shows how well the region works together to give youth the opportunity to participate in this tournament, said Shane Thompson of Fort Simpson who coached one of the teams.

Five of the Deh Cho teams included athletes from three or more communities. Only the U12 girls' team from Bompas Elementary School was made of youth from one community – Fort Simpson.

Gold was the colour the Deh Gah U14 girls' team returned with. The team, comprised of athletes from Fort Providence, Fort Liard, Fort Simpson and Yellowknife won all three of their round robin games.

In the finals they faced Paul William Kaeser High School from Fort Smith. It was a close game throughout, said Val Gendron who coached the team along with Diana Gargan.

With 38 seconds left, Meegwun Cazon of Yellowknife tied the score 4-4 for Deh Gah moving the game into a shoot-out. Goalie Sadeedi Gargan of Fort Providence stopped the first goal and Mikala McLeod and Precious Hope of Fort Liard both scored, with a Fort Smith player earning a goal between them. Gargan stopped the final goal giving Deh Gah the win.

The U12 girls team from Fort Simpson earned silver medals. The team had a one win, loss and tie record in the round robin before facing Fort St. John in the final where they lost.

"Their defence was awesome," said Berni Leader, who coached the team along with Leanne Jose.

"They played well."

The tournament was a learning experience for the team because they had to adapt to playing on a field three or four times the size of the gyms they are used to, said Leader.

Two teams from the region won bronze medals.

The Fort Liard U18 Giants took their medals after Behchoko defaulted the game.

"They were very disappointed about that," said Roslyn Gardner Firth, who organized and chaperoned the Fort Liard athletes.

The team, which included athletes from Fort Liard, Fort Simpson, Nahanni Butte, Behchoko and Fort Providence was coached by Amy Thomas, had really wanted to play the game. Twenty-five athletes in total represented Fort Liard at the tournament.

"They played their hearts out," said Gardner Firth.

They had a great time and loved meeting up with youth from the other communities, she said.

The U14 boys also won bronze. The athletes from Fort Simpson, Fort Liard and Fort Providence spent the first three games in the round robin bonding as a team, said coach Shane Thompson. The team's first goal didn't come until the second half of their third game against Princess Alexandra School of Hay River.

Although they were down 5-0 at half, the team came back to only lose 8-6. The athletes went on to beat Hay River 3-2 in the consolation final with Nathaniel Tsetso of Fort Simpson scoring two of the goals and Dylan Steeves of Fort Liard getting the other.

"I was really impressed with the boys," said Thompson.

The athletes got better with every game and more comfortable with their positions. They also continued to be positive even when they were losing.

"It was an educational process," he said.

"It's a different game than what we play at indoor soccer here."

The other Deh Cho teams included the U12 boys team from Bompas Elementary School with players from Fort Liard, Fort Providence, Behchoko and Fort Simpson. The team improved in each of their four round robin games despite facing tough competition, said Leader.

The U16 girls coached by Jodie Isaiah with athletes from Fort Liard, Fort Providence, Fort Simpson, Fort Resolution, Behchoko and Nahanni Butte had a one win, loss and tie record in the round robin. They lost in a heartbreak game 2-1 in the consolation finals.