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Often curling teams are inseparable and do everything together. But that option was not available for two Yukon junior teams who have dispersed throughout the country and will be reuniting for the national championships 鈥� some will even be playing competitively together for the first time.

Both the male and female junior team representing the Yukon from the Whitehorse Curling Club will be joining together in Shawinigan, Que. for the 2018 Canadian Junior Curling Championships.

On the female side, first-time skip Kelsey Meger will be leading the team with three other teammates she doesn鈥檛 have that much experience playing with competitively, but who played with her sister.

Having no competition in the Yukon tournament, the team was acclaimed and therefore didn鈥檛 have to play any lead-up games. Since being formed as a team for this tournament, the team has not actually practiced together under their new skip.

But Meger said growing up together, the team does have a bond and it shouldn鈥檛 be too difficult to get into a groove when the competition starts Saturday.

鈥淎 lot of people who ask me how I think we鈥檙e going to be doing, I鈥檓 not going to get my hopes up for the finals, it鈥檚 not realistic,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I鈥檇 like to win a few games, I know that we鈥檒l do OK.鈥�

The team is coached by Kelsey鈥檚 father Chris Meger who has been working with the lead and second Zaria Netro and Peyton L鈥橦enaff who are both in Whitehorse. Team third Emily Matthews is also away at school and will be joining the team in Quebec.

Chris Meger said this will be a good experience for the team playing high-level competition as well as an opportunity to travel to a new city they have never visited before.

鈥淲henever they go to these juniors they meet a lot of new teams,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey like playing competitively to get out and get some good competition.鈥�

Transitioning to the skip position was a bit of a challenge, Kelsey Meger said, who is also in her last year of junior eligibility.

鈥淭he only position available was skip,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 got a little bit of experience years and years ago, but I wouldn鈥檛 be skipping if there was another option.鈥�

The team will play six games in pool play before being divided into the championship and seeding pools.

The male team for the territory has a little bit more experience playing together and has some hardware to show for it.

They won gold at the 2014 Arctic Winter Games and also competed at the 2014 junior nationals. But then the team members and coach Kevin Patterson went off their separate ways, and Patterson said this will be like a reunion for the squad.

Patterson, who is now living in Halifax, will re-join the team for the tournament. He said the team didn鈥檛 curl together at all last year as they were spread out throughout the country, but did compete in at least one competition together earlier this season. Other than that, he said he prefers to go in not knowing.

鈥淥ddly it鈥檚 a part of my strategy not to know too much, our best shot is as underdogs,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 tried not to find out too much more, if I do I鈥檒l psych myself out and create expectations for them that might not be manageable.鈥�

The entire team will reunite with Joe Wallingham at skip, Trygg Jensen as the third and brothers Brayden and Will Klassen in the second and lead positions.

Even without recent experience as a team, Patterson said they have history together and will be able to rebuild that bond.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a quick catchup. Once we get together we鈥檒l figure out what the best action is going to be,鈥� he said.

鈥淲e have history together and I think that鈥檚 going to trump any challenges we have.鈥�

The men鈥檚 team will open their tournament Saturday against the home team from Quebec.