While the world of sports has gone through all kinds of changes over the years, one thing always remains the same.

The girls still love to beat the boys.

'We get to play against the boys, and most of the time we win,' said Whitehorse junior girls hockey player Tara Wills in an interview Friday, explaining why she loves playing on an all girls team.

The junior girls team is made up of 15 girls this year, ranging from seven to 13 years old. Most of them play on a minor hockey team with boys as well.

'It's tougher with the boys because it's rough,' said Chantelle Rivest, who's in her fifth year of hockey. 'But it's more exciting with the girls.

'The girls like to pass, unlike boys teams. And you can talk to them a lot more. They're a lot more fun to be around.'

'You can talk to them (girls) and they're not shy to you,' added Sarah Allison, who is in her second year of hockey.

The girls team was a little slow getting off the ground this season, so they were unable to field a team in a minor hockey league division. Instead, they practice together once a week and play an atom team once a week as well.

On Friday, the atom team didn't show up. Instead of packing their bags and heading home, the junior girls laced up and faced off against each other.

As many of them explained after the game, any time on the ice together is valuable.

'Girls hockey has now become a little more high profile,' said head coach Randy Merkel, who joined assistant Shawn Roulston at the beginning of the season. 'There's a real place for girls in hockey now. Particularly at the atom and pee wee levels.

Merkel said a lot of girls want to play the 'boy's sports' because they see it as more fun.

'I saw my brother checking people and I thought it would be fun,' said Wills.

'Hockey is a really fun sport,' agreed Rivest. 'You get to socialize a lot and it's a good way to stay active. And I get to play with my friends.'

Merkel said his daughter has been bitten by the hockey bug as well.

'She's very keen on hockey and I want to encourage her to keep going,' he said.

'I didn't really like figure skating,' Teneesha Merkel explained. 'I tried out for hockey and liked it a lot better. I started playing street hockey with a bunch of guys and that's when I really got into hockey.'

'You get to meet other girls you haven't met yet that like the sport you like,' added Emily Nugent.

Angela Burke said hockey is more fun than all the other sports, especially playing with the girls.

'It just shows boys aren't the only ones who can play hockey,' she smiled. 'And hopefully it will get more girls into it so there might be a women's team in Whitehorse later.'

Don't be surprised if you see a few of the junior girls on a women's team several years down the road. All of them plan on continuing their favorite sport.

'I'm planning to go on until 2007,' said Kelsey Kabanak. 'That's when the (Canada) Games come here and I want to be on the team.'

If this season is any indication, that could be a possibility for any of the girls.

'What I appreciate about these girls is the work ethic,' Randy Merkel said. 'They work very hard. They accept direction and are very keen to learn. It's really impressive.'

The girls are at a very influential age, he said. And for some of them, it's their first experience with team play and team spirit.

'It's really rewarding for a coach to see their kids get their first experience,' he said. 'They just want to get in there.

'And when they beat the boys, they are so damn proud it's unbelievable. It makes their week.'

Some things never change.