Curling Alberta hosted its U20 provincial championships late last month in Cochrane, Alta., and you may be wondering why this has anything to do with the NWT.

Simple SA国际影视传媒� three NWT curlers were involved with it in some way, shape or form.

The menSA国际影视传媒檚 event featured Sawer Kaeser of Fort Smith and Adam Naugler of Yellowknife playing with skip Beau Cornelson and the rink out of the University of Alberta-Augustana (UAA) in Camrose, Alta. The foursome ended up making the playoff round but fell to EdmontonSA国际影视传媒檚 Johnson Tao in the quarter-final on Feb. 26, 8-2.

Naugler said it wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 the best game the team had ever played.

SA国际影视传媒淲e didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have a great feel for the ice in that game,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e were chasing them for a lot of the game.SA国际影视传媒�

It was a triple-knockout format, meaning each rink had three chances to get into the playoff round. CornelsonSA国际影视传媒檚 rink won their first two games on the A side but lost their A qualifier, bumping them down to the B qualifier. They would get into the final eight thanks to a 7-5 win over James Ballance of Okotoks.

The quarter-final started with a blank in the first end before Tao drew first blood with a single in the second end. The third end was blanked but Tao took control in the fourth by stealing three to go up, 4-0. Cornelson would get two back in the fifth to cut the lead in half, 4-2, but Tao would get a single in the sixth, followed by a steal of one in the seventh and another steal of two in the eighth, which was enough for Cornelson to shake hands and concede.

This was the first time Naugler had the chance to experience a provincial championship and he said the biggest difference between playing here and in Alberta is the level of play itself.

SA国际影视传媒淭here are so many more great teams down here,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 so much different from just playing Sawer all the time SA国际影视传媒� itSA国际影视传媒檚 still friendly but the competitive aspect is much different.SA国际影视传媒�

Tara Naugler had the chance to coach the UAA womenSA国际影视传媒檚 team, skipped by Josie Zimmerman, in the same event. They failed to make the playoffs, losing three straight in the A qualifier, and while it wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 the week the ladies wanted, coach Naugler said they held their own as a team for the first time.

SA国际影视传媒淭his was their first time together playing as a foursome, so we just wanted to take it one game at a time,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey did have one game which, unfortunately, got away from them but curling is a game of inches and sometimes, it doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 go your way.SA国际影视传媒�

Naugler isnSA国际影视传媒檛 the full-time coach for the team SA国际影视传媒� sheSA国际影视传媒檚 a substitute coach and did so for the second time this season at the provincial championships SA国际影视传媒� and said there was a chance conversation between her and the regular coach.

SA国际影视传媒淗e was new to the team and he was asking me if I wanted to come on board and help out,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 went down in November to coach the line-up and they asked me to come back (for provincials).SA国际影视传媒�

Something else coach Naugler liked seeing when she was down there was the different approaches to the sport in another place.

SA国际影视传媒淥ne thing weSA国际影视传媒檙e doing here in the NWT is after every end, we get to have a quick debrief with the team for one minute,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚n Alberta, they do something similar except the coaches are actually on the ice surface and they can call a one-minute timeout per end. The coaches monitor that minute and once you talk to them during the timeout, you canSA国际影视传媒檛 talk to them again until the next end.SA国际影视传媒�

While coach Naugler is done for this season with the girls team, the boys are still plugging away and came within one game of being crowned the provincial college champions in Camrose, Alta., this past weekend. NauglerSA国际影视传媒檚 rink ended up with silver after dropping a 5-2 decision to Red Deer College on Sunday evening. The result qualified the foursome for the Alberta Junior Curling Tour Players Championship next month in Calgary.

Naugler will also be heading to Oakville, Ont., in May to join Jullian BowlingSA国际影视传媒檚 outfit at the Canadian U18 Curling Championships.