Camille Galloway shook her defender, faked a move to her left and then buried the soccer ball into the right corner of the net.

As a member of the U16 Arctic Winter Games (AWG) soccer team, Galloway and her teammates took to the field at the Canada Games Centre on Sunday to challenge the Yukon Selects.

The Selects ended up winning the game, 9-7, but with the final roster still being determined the importance of the score came second to the play of the athletes and their cohesiveness as a team.

"We played hard,” said Jaylene Kelly, who started the game on defence before playing in net for the second-half.

"Everyone wanted to make the team so we were really pushing ourselves.”

John MacPhail, head coach with the Yukon soccer development program, filled in on the sidelines for the AWG team and was impressed with the play of the team.

"I think some of the girls forgot it was a try-out,” he said.

"But in these last two sessions they have really picked it up.”

MacPhail has been involved with the Games since 1994 and he's become adjusted to the amount of effort and dedication the young athletes put into their respective sports.

"It's bigger than the Canada Games to them, it's bigger than the nationals,” he said.

"For some reason, the AWG is the tournament all the kids really get into.”

Macphail says the reason for that focus and resolve is simple. It's a chance to win.

"They definitely have a chance to win it all,” he said.

Galloway, one of the teams' strikers, was outspoken about her hopes for the tournament, which begins March 4.

"We want to win this year,” she said. "We've never won gold in a tournament and I really think this could be the year.”

Galloway is vying for a spot to compete in her second Games.

"I went two years ago with the team and we did pretty well,” she said.

That team came in fourth after losing the bronze medal game in an overtime finish.

"I think we're just as good as that team and we started practicing way earlier, we started in October so we've had two extra months,” she said.

For the most part, the team has been playing together since they became involved in competitive soccer.

"I've been playing with this team most of my life,” said Kelly. "We've improved a lot over the years and we've stuck together which is good.”

In preparation for the Games, the team is learning a new attacking system and focusing on team development.

Galloway says while the team is still adjusting to the system, a diamond formation, she believes it will pay off long-term and the players will have a better understanding of it once they play a few more games.

MacPhail also highlighted focus as an area of improvement for the team.

"You've got to be aware of whose on the field and who is going to do what,” he said. "Sometimes you can lose track of what's developing, so we're working to improve that focus.”

The AWG presents an opportunity for the athletes to compete against a high-level of competition and test their own abilities.

Kelly says the team is ready to play and confident in the chemistry and skill they have developed.

"We're a really good defensive team, so when we play against some of the really good teams from down south we always know we can fall back on that.

"We just want to do the best we can.”