Team Alberta ready to rock at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts

February 16, 2024 Canuck

This is new territory for Team Alberta skip Selena Sturmay. She’s never played in Alberta colours at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Sturmay could hardly wait to get on the ice at WinSport on Friday morning throw some practice rocks. She’ll face Manitoba’s Kaitlyn Lawes in the opening draw on Friday night.

“It means everything,” she said.

“Every time you get a chance to put on the blue and gold it means everything,” Sturmay added.

“You know to be Team Alberta is a dream but to be Team Alberta in Alberta It’s extra special and we’re just super excited to get the week started and have all of our friends and family and the rest of Alberta behind us.”

LITTLE EXPERIENCE AT THE SCOTTIES

No doubt there will be some nerves for Team Alberta. This is the first time at the Scotties for Sturmay, third Danielle Schiemann and lead Paige Papley.

The only member of the team with experience is second Dezeray Hawes. She went to the Scotties with Corrine Brown’s team from B.C.

This is the first time at the Scotties for Selena Sturmay, third Danielle Schiemann and lead Paige Papley. The only member of the team with experience is second Dezeray Hawes.

Hawes has been offering advice to her team.

“The biggest advice to give is just enjoy the moment,” she said.

“You know you have no guarantee of every coming back to this event so make the most of it. It goes by super fast and try and have fun while we’re at it.”

LOTS OF QUESTIONS

Sturmay says the team has had a lot of conversations with Hawes.

“We’ve already asked her a million questions about what to expect,” she said.

“You know when you come to the Scotties it’s kind of just a different beast of its own, so she’s (been) really great on (explaining) what to expect atmosphere-wise and just all the behind-the -scenes things so she’s been a great addition to our team.”

TEAM CANADA GOES FOR RECORD FIVE STRAIGHT

Make no mistake, this will be a challenging week for Team Alberta. At the Scotties the intensity heats up.

They’ll face the likes of Team Canada. Kerry Einarson and her rink know how to get it done at the Scotties, they’ve won four in a row and will go for a record fifth straight in Calgary. Einarson knows how bit that would be.

“It would be a dream come true,” she said.

“To be able to set a record like that is amazing and if I said that I would be in this position when I was younger I wouldn’t believe it. This week we’re just going to embrace it and play our best and see where the chips fall at the end of the week.”

DIFFERENT VIBE IN CALGARY

The last time Calgary hosted the Scotties was in 2021 when it was in the bubble. Einarson’s rink won that year and she remembers how strange it was.

“It was like an eerie feeling,” said the Team Canada skip.

“It was nice though, I had my parents in the cardboard cutouts so that was nice, I felt the support here,” she laughed.

There was some tough news for Team Canada on Friday afternoon. Lead Brianne Harris has been ruled ineligible to compete in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Curling Canada says there will be no further comment on the situation from them or members of Team Canada.

Team Canada lead Briane Harris is ineligible to compete at this year’s Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

“There will be no further comment on this situation from Curling Canada or members of Team Canada,” the governing body said in a release.#STOH2024 https://t.co/Dnm8llnIYB

— TSN Curling (@TSNCurling) February 16, 2024