BY SCOTT HADDOW
The Team Horgan Curling Rink from the
Idylwylde Curling Club has been thriving on adversity all
season and it has them competing for a junior ladies national
championship.
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From L to R: Amanda Gates, Tracy
Horgan and Stephanie Barbeau are ready for the junior
national curling championships. Missing is Sault member
Lindsay Miners. |
The Horgan Rink recently won the provincial
championship in Kenora, which stamped their ticket to Thunder
Bay for the M&M Meat Shops Canadian Juniors
Championship.
The Horgan team consists of skip Tracy
Horgan, vice Lindsay Miners, second Amanda Gates and lead
Stephanie Barbeau. Horgan, Gates and Barbeau all curl in
Sudbury, while the team's vice competes in Sault Ste. Marie.
The Sudbury trio made the junior nationals last year, finishing
forth with a 7-5 record, with Tracy's older sister Jennifer,
who has since graduated from the junior ranks.
With Miners being in Sault Ste. Marie, it
made it challenging for the squad to become a cohesive unit,
but they worked through the struggles and are a better team for
it.
"This team came together in Kenora," said
coach Jan Pula. "They're still on the journey to peaking. It
looks like they're on the right track and they're still getting
better. They are ready for nationals. I think they are
contenders as long as they keep their positive attitude."
When the spot opened up on the squad, it was
the remaining girls who wanted Miners on board.
"We knew Lindsay from summer curling camps
and the girls had competed against her in the past," said Pula.
"The girls chose her because of her skill
and experience. Lindsay has Scott level
experience."
The new team had its first meeting in June
2005, and things got moving from there, thanks to a lot of hard
work.
"The girls were mature about the whole
situation," said Pula. "They worked through it and it paid off.
It was remarkable how they came together in
such a short time. It's a testament to their
maturity and dedication. They all have the same goal - to win a
national championship."
The team is anxious.
"We're excited to go," said Barbeau. "We all
worked hard this year to get here. It has been challenging
building team dynamics, but we did it and we're a better team
for it."
Miners has brought a new weapon to the
team.
"Lindsay has been practicing with some of the
bigger men's teams in Sault Ste. Marie, so she has practiced
big hits," said Gates. "She's very powerful with her hitting
and that's not seen much in women's curling. It gives us an
edge over other teams. We have supported each other all year
and we can see the positive difference in our play from the
start of the season to now."
Horgan chose to let her actions speak for her
about the team's hopes.
"We definitely want to make the
playoffs...And win," said Horgan.
The girls' first game is on Saturday, Jan. 21
at 1 pm. All the action can be followed at www.curling.ca, just
click on the juniors link.
