Monday, February 11, 2002
Schmirler gone but not forgotten
By CHRIS STEVENSON -- SLAM! Sports
Ogden, Utah -- Joan McCusker has used up almost all of her tears.
Almost.
"After a while, the well runs dry," said the gold-medal winning second on
Sandra Schmirler's rink at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games in Nagano.
"At a certain stage, you want to celebrate, not mourn."
There were still a few tears Monday evening, but the feeling at the Ice Sheet
at Ogden had definitely turned to one of celebration.
Prior to the opening ceremonies at the curling venue for the Olympic
tournament, Canada's Sandra Schmirler, the best woman curler who ever lived,
was honoured once again.
"There are certain things I can do now," said McKusker.
Monday's ceremony was one of them.
She took to the ice with Jan Betker, the lead-turned-skip, and Marcia
Gudereit, gold medalists all at Schmirler's side in Japan four years ago, as
Schmirler was remembered as one of the fiercest competitors in the game, but
also as one of its most human.
There were flowing words in the air and flowing tears on a few faces as
Schmirler's rink was shown up on the big screen over the four sheets of ice
wearing their gold medals from Nagano.
The message that shone through was the three-time world champion was as tough
a competitor as there was, but never allowed her lofty status as the world's
best to strip away any of her humanity or her down-to-earth qualities that
charmed teammates and fellow competitors alike.
"It didn't matter who she was talking to," said Betker. "A teammate, a
competitor, she was the real McKoy. There were no pretenses."
Though Schmirler lost her battle with cancer, she is still helping spread
curling to previously untouched markets. A number of American reporters
worked the mixed zone at the curling venue Tuesday interviewing players about
Schmirler. Her story will help expose curling to the uninitiated.
Her legacy within the game lives on in the lives of the people she touched.
Canadian Kelley Law, who opened the Olympic tournament with a 5-4 win over
Sweden Tuesday, met Schmirler seven times in competiton, winning twice.
"I watched tapes of her," said Law. "I studied them. I liked her team's
mannerisms on the ice. They were a team to look up to. They were a very
classy team. They were great sportsmen and competitive at the same time.
Those two elements make for a great athlete.
"You can't replace Sandra. She will never be replaced."
Schmirler did so much to sell the game. Her victory in Nagano landed her on
the front pages of American newspapers.
"We understand what she meant to the game in Canada," said national team
coach Jim Waite, who was on hand for all of Schmirler's big victories. "To
see her recognized internationally like this is wonderful. Every competitor
here knows what she meant to the game."
"I think her memory will live forever," said Gudereit.
When it was time to officially open the games, Roy Sinclair the president of
the World Curling Federation, took his place in the hack to throw the opening
stone.
Betker, serving as skip, dropped her broom in the edge of the eight foot.
After a mometary bobble, Sinclair delivered the stone with McCusker and
Gudereit sweeping.
The stone started well wide of the mark.
It is tradition that the opening stone always find the button.
Sometimes it takes a couple of subtle taps from the sweepers.
Sometimes they are not so subtle.
The rock looked to be going wide and McCusker and Gudereit moved closer.
Suddenly, it started to veer. It started to bite and slow and the two
sweepers worked the ice in front of it.
It grabbed a piece of the button.
It was almost as if the hand of the best was at work.
2002 Games Columnists
