It's not about the Bling

Good morning sports fans all across Canada and in the Allied Nations on the Armed Forces Network and all the ships at sea.

Our gals are about to embark on the last leg of one journey and the beginning of a new one. The end of the road is of course, the Trials, which begin in earnest at 8:30 AM Saturday, Dec. 3rd when our ladies take on the Ontario rink of Joanne Rizzo. The new journey’s direction is yet to be determined but is already guaranteed to be of life changing dimensions.

I well remember that cold January day almost three years ago when Team Middaugh gave notice that they were a major force in the curling universe by defeating the darling of the west coast Kelly Law in the thrilling final of the Inaugural Canada Cup. It was an exciting day and time, the photos were all about the big cheque for $50,000 which marked a major milestone for women’s curling not just for being so large but also for bringing equal rights to women curlers because it was the same size cheque that was given to Randy Ferbey’s foursome for winning the men’s side of the competition. It was a welcome change and it was about time.

However, I thought then and believe even more now that if asked, every member of the team would have forgone the fat cheque for the other prize awarded that day, the honour of being the very first rink to qualify for the Olympic Trials that begin the day after tomorrow. Hands down a shot at being Canada’s Olympian’s in the sport of Curling is the ultimate prize for a competitive curler.

You see, dear sports fans, it is not about the bling, or the rings, or the free Hudson’s Bay retro sportswear, it’s all about the COMPETITION, and their just ain’t no competition bigger then the Olympics. Our gals understand that and God love ‘em, they embrace the challenge with open arms.

An unusual component of the Trials competition is that it stands alone as one where just being there is an enormous achievement. The Trials spots are filled with the best teams in Canada, any one of them fully capable of winning any game on any given day. Consequently, a curious and unusual state exists where the winner of the final game is awarded the biggest prize imaginable for a curler, yet those who don’t finish first, all nine of them, are in their own way champions as well.

I don’t mean the funny labels we paste on folks who come second in these things, “Olympic Calibre”, or “Future Olympian”. I mean that they can be satisfied that they earned their way to the Trials, they showed up and they did their best. That is all anyone can ask and all we can expect. This is a sport, sometimes the rocks roll your way, and sometimes they don’t. All other things being equal, and at this level almost all other things are, it comes down to a tiny slice of indefinable pixie dust of difference, whether it be grit, practice, conditioning, superb coaching or just dumb luck is sometimes just up to the God of Granite.

Fortune favours the prepared however, and our heroes are as ready as good training, great coaching, wonderful sponsors, loving supporters and liberal sprinklings of #9 Pixie Dust can make them.

The next 10 days contain the magic mix of skill, fortune and mental toughness that can lead to a moment that could change their lives forever. We are thrilled to be able to watch, wait, wonder and do our part to cheer on Sherry, Kirsten, Andrea, Sheri, Cathy and uber coach Pat.

So, second star on the right and straight on till morning.

Let’s Roll.


Good Fortune Ladies