They may be young, but Team Scoffin is proving that age is just a number and has nothing to do with being successful on the curling rink.

The team is being coached by the skips' father and for the next couple months will be training for the Canadian Junior Curling Championships in Sault Ste. Marie in February.

This year, Thomas Scoffin, at the age of 12, set the record for being the youngest skip to ever compete at the junior nationals.

'Last year our goal was more with Canada Winter Games because that was our main focus and we decided mid season to enter into junior nationals because the boys were performing very well and we knew that they were going to do reasonably well,' said Wade Scoffin, the team's coach. 'We didn't know how well they would do, but we had confidence that they would hold their own throughout the week.'

The Scoffin rink did end up doing well and even won a game, despite the fact they were playing against some curlers who were several years older than them. The team isn't setting a goal for this year in terms of wins and losses, but is instead focusing on just playing more consistently throughout the course of the competition.

The team is also prepping for the possibility of having to compete in a playdown, which is a competitive match or series of matches that would determine the Yukon representing squad at the junior championships.

Other members of the team include Mitchell Young, who is the lead; Will Mahoney, who plays as the team's third; and Nick Koltun, who plays in the second position. They are all 15 years old.

The team has been together for a few years now and they continue to improve, thanks in part to a dedicated weekly schedule that is comprised of both practices as well as games. All four members are also focusing on improving their mental toughness, in addition to working out at the multiplex to better their fitness.

But what makes Thomas Scoffin the most confident about heading into the junior nationals this year is the way his team played at the 2007 Skookum/WCT Yukon Cash Spiel, held last weekend at the Whitehorse Curling Club.

The Scoffin rink finished the cashspiel with a 3-2 record, which included a victory over his own father and coach's team.

Wade Scoffin said it was a lot of fun playing his son's team.

'It was probably the first time that our two teams have faced each other,' said Scoffin. 'We have obviously been around each other quite a bit, but Thomas's team prevailed, they beat the old guys.'

He said there weren't any hard feelings after the match.

'It was a serious weekend because there was a lot of money involved, but there are certainly no hard feelings,' Scoffin said. 'We are so pleased and proud of how they perform and when you get beat by another team you just have to accept it.'

Wade has been coaching in curling for more than ten years. He has quite the distinguished playing career in the sport as well, which among others are competing at the Brier, Canada Winter Games and mixed nationals. Scoffin is still an active curler and he is currently a member on Team Cowan.

Among Team Scoffin's successes include winning a silver medal at the 2006 Arctic Winter Games as well as nearly beating curling great Charley Thomas in a round robin game at last year's junior nationals.

Wade wants to make sure that curling remains fun for all the members on his son's team.

'I certainly see it as being fun and that is my focus as well, is to figure out ways to make sure that it is fun,' he said. 'If it ends up having a good record at an event that is great, but as long as they are still friends walking out of it and they have enjoyed themselves and made friends then that is a good outcome.'