This past weekend the “Team Allen” junior girls curling team competed in the Under-21 provincial curling qualifiers, which were held in Almonte. The Vankleek Hill team came in fifth place. The team is comprised of 17-year-old Cassie Allen, her 15-year-old sister, Caitlin, 16-year-old Meghan Courtemanche and 14-year-old Natasha Fortin. The three older members of the team have been curling together for the past eight years and they were recently joined by Fortin. For them, curling is a passion. It is also an intensive sport that demands weekly physical and mental conditioning. The girls practice nearly every day at the Vankleek Hill Curling Club, which offers a junior program which runs from late October, through mid-April. The “Little Rocks” junior program is held on Friday afternoons between 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.