Three Yukon hockey players will be representing the territory at the national aboriginal hockey championships in Prince George, B.C.

Warren Strand, Myranda Charlie and Jocelyn Boutilier will be competing with British Columbia in the prestigious championships beginning April 18. The three of them attended B.C.'s provincial camp in Williams Lake March 19-21, where they were put through drills testing their skill and ability.

The coaches obviously liked what they saw.

'The Yukon Indian Hockey Association is really proud,' said YIHA president Steve Smith in an interview Thursday. 'This is the type of success we are striving for as an association.'

Yukoner Chris Gleason, 15, also attended the camp and Smith said his age is the main reason he didn't make the team.

'The team is made up of mostly 17-year-olds, but they were thoroughly impressed by this young man,' said Smith. 'He is going to be invited back next year.

'The association is just very proud of how these young people handled themselves. They were very well behaved. They went with a purpose and accomplished their goals.'

Strand is from Haines Junction and is a member of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nation. This past year he was a defenceman for the Whitehorse midget AA rep hockey team and he will be competing with the Southern Tutchone Selects in the A division at this weekend's native hockey tournament.

'It's just something I do that frees my mind,' said Strand, who has been playing hockey for 12 years, following a practice with the Selects Thursday night. 'It's something that settles me down.'

Strand and his family moved into Whitehorse from Haines Junction about two years ago, both for school and for hockey. While the 17-year-old enjoys watching NHL players such as Peter Forsberg and Scott Stevens, he's not sure how far hockey will take him.

'I wouldn't mind making it, (to the pro level)' he smiled. 'But it's a long way to go.'

Strand will graduate from Porter Creek Secondary School this year and is hoping to try out for and receive invitations from a few junior hockey teams down south.

'Hopefully I will play junior B, and maybe A if I'm lucky,' he said.

When he does compete for a roster spot at tryouts, Strand will have a bit more experience behind him thanks to the B.C. aboriginal camp this month.

'I wasn't really too sure what I was getting into or what team I would be playing for,' he said. 'There were lots of good players. It was nice to see so many people show up.'

Strand had just finished playing the B.C. provincial championships with the midget rep team before he made the trip to Williams Lake, which might explain why his body was a little tired.

'I pulled a groin during the camp, but I still kept playing,' he said. 'I thought it was going to affect me for sure, and I was pretty upset that it happened. But I just played my best.'

Strand said when he found out he made the team, he was a little bit shocked.

'When they told me, I couldn't believe it,' he grinned. 'I almost didn't know what to say to them. I told my mom and she nearly freakin' died.'

Strand said both his parents are extremely proud and happy he gets the chance to go play hockey in B.C. The provincial team will also be travelling to Ontario for a tournament, which is exciting for the Yukoner who has never been east of Winnipeg.

'It's going to keep my mind focused on something and give me a chance to really go somewhere,' he said, adding he doesn't know what he would do without hockey.

'Just try your hardest,' he said, when asked about advice for younger first nation hockey players. 'I just went out and played as best as I could and worked hard.'

Strand said the most important thing for him at the camp was his attitude. The coaches told him that's why he was chosen, and it most likely played a role in both Charlie and Boutilier being picked as well.

Charlie is from the small northern community of Old Crow and is a member of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. She has represented the Yukon twice at the national aboriginal high performance hockey camp and has also represented the territory at five hockey tournaments the 2000, 2002 and 2004 Arctic Winter Games, 2003 Canada Winter Games and 2003 Women's Western's Championships.

Charlie will once again take part in Westerns this month. She is also the northern region's role model as part of the Yukon Aboriginal Sport Role Model Program.

From Teslin, Boutilier is a member of the Teslin Tlingit Council. The first year bantam player will be up against youth as many as four years her senior at the national championships, but that's nothing new for her. She competed at the 2003 Canada Winter Games at age 12 and also the 2004 AWG, both times against players four years older than her.

Boutilier has competed in the youth division of the Yukon native hockey tournament the past three years where she has won coaches choice awards for player of the game and most sportsmanlike player. She will compete once again this year in the youth division of the native hockey tournament, with her hometown Teslin Rough Riders.

The national aboriginal hockey championships provide a forum for elite Bantam/Midget age aboriginal hockey players. At the end of the tournament, all-star teams will be selected to attend the national high performance hockey camp.

This year's championships will feature seven provinces competing for the title. On the male side, Sask., Eastern Door and the North (Que.), Ont. North, Alta., Man., Ont. South, Atlantic and B.C. make up the teams.

On the female side, Atlantic, Eastern Door and the North, Ont. North, Ont. South, Sask., Alta., and B.C. will compete. Saskatchewan's male team and Ontario South's female team will be trying to defend their titles.

Smith said YIHA held a bingo Wednesday night and a portion of the proceeds will go toward the costs for the three Yukoners to attend the national championships. The three will also be fundraising this weekend at the hockey tournament, selling pucks for a puck chuck with all proceeds going directly to their costs.

'It's nice to be able to see kids really advance and compete at really high levels,' said Smith. 'To make a provincial level team in any sport is a real complement to the players and their parents for supporting them.'