After a little over a week of waiting and hoping, the good news finally came down on Wednesday for Penny Barker and her Saskatchewan-champion Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre foursome.
The Scotties Tournament of Hearts is officially on, meaning the local rink will be off to Thunder Bay next week to take a run at the 2022 national women’s curling championship.
The announcement also revealed the full draw and tournament format for the event, which will see 18 teams taking the ice from Jan, 28 through Feb. 6 at Fort William Gardens.
So with all doubt removed, it’s finally full steam ahead for the local crew.
“It’s nice that we finally know that we’ll be playing, but we’ve been going as if it was happening,” Barker said. “Now it’s ‘okay it’s for sure’ and we don’t have that thing hanging over our head that it could be cancelled. It’s nice to know that next Wednesday we’ll be heading to Thunder Bay, no matter what.”
Barker and her rink of third Christie Gamble, second Jenna Enge and lead Danielle Sicinski are ranked eighth heading into the event and will see action in Pool B alongside Tracy Fleury (Wild Card 1), Chelsea Carey (Wild Card 2), Rachel Homan (Wild Card 3), Krista McCarville (Northern Ontario), Andrea Crawford (New Brunswick), Suzanne Birt (Prince Edward Island), Sarah Hill (Newfoundland) and Brigitte MacPhail (Nunavut).
While knowing “who” they’ll be playing through the round robin is a positive, “when” is even more important at this stage of the game.
“It’s good in terms of knowing how to schedule out your week, the meals and everything that goes along with being away for 10 days curling,” Barker said. “It’s not so much who we’ll be playing, it’s more when we’re playing and on which sheet. It takes a few more of the unknowns out of the picture.”
Barker will face Fleury in her opener at 6 p.m. Moose Jaw time on Jan, 29, Hill at 1 p.m. on Jan. 30, Carey at 8 a.m. and Crawford at 6 p.m. on Jan. 31, Birt at 1 p.m. on Feb. 1, MacPhail at 8 a.m. and McCarville at 6 p.m. on Feb. 2 before closing out the round roubin against Homan at 1 p.m. on Feb. 3.
The top three teams from each pool advance to the playoffs beginning Feb. 4 at 12 p.m., with the Page Playoffs beginning Feb. 5, followed by the semifinal and final on Feb. 6.
“We have one practice to go this weekend, a little bit of mental prep and we’ll be locking ourselves away starting Monday,” Barker said of what’s up next. “Then it’s testing and making sure we’re staying safe and COVID-free before we head out… you’d hate to get to this point and not be able to compete.”
Should something happen in Thunder Bay that way, Barker will have a reliable veteran on hand to help out -- fellow Moose Jaw product Amber Holland is once again the team’s fifth player, after serving the same role for Barker back in 2017.
“We know Amber very well and we’re excited to have her on board,” Barker said. “We get along really well and we know that if any of us can’t play, she’ll step right into that position. We’re hoping everyone stays healthy and it’s not required, but it’s nice to have that experience and support ready to go. And no matter what, she’s great to have for the general bouncing ideas off her, especially having won it all before.”
For the latest information on the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, including all the scores and updated standings as the tournament progresses, be sure to visit www.curling.ca/2022scotties.
