Tuesday, November 13, 2001
B.C. team hoping to sweep into Olympics
By JOE PAVIA -- Ottawa Sun
Sherry Fraser has a deep fondness for Ottawa that has nothing to do with slick tourist brochures.
Fraser's Vancouver team began its dream quest at the 2000 Welton (now called the Cowan Wright Beauchamp -- The Championships). By winning last year's women's purse, the team qualified for the Olympic trials on Dec. 1-8 in Regina.
'`It is every curler's dream to go to the Olympics ... the flag flying ... the pride,'' Fraser said.
Fraser and her team of Diane McLean, Corie Beveridge and Christine Jurgenson are getting lots of help dreaming.
The skip was laid off by her software company early this year, giving her plenty of time to think. In August, she landed a job interview with the William Mercer company. The firm, a world-wide employee benefits and actuarial company, is a competitor of Cowan Wright Beauchamp, the sponsor of the 'spiel that started her Olympic dream.
Fraser planned to take a lot of time off work to pursue her once-in-a-lifetime shot at the Olympics. At the interview, she indicated she might not be around much. To her surprise she was hired anyway. On top of that, management gave her an extra 15 days off -- with pay -- to pursue her goal.
With financial help from Sport Canada, Fraser's team added a coach and a mental skills trainer. The trainer helps the team focus and perform as one by melding their individual personalities so all strengths come to the fore. She also helps the team realize anything is possible.
The Fraser team hasn't competed much this season nor have they performed well (it isn't in the top 90 of the JVC Women's Tour after placing 11th last year).
When they met another Olympic trials-bound team at the Cowan -- Heather Fowlie of Alberta -- the Fraser team knew what the game meant. Even though Fowlie won, the B.C. curlers found the match valuable as an intelligence gathering operation.
After all, Salt Lake City beckons.
INCOMING: The members of Marie-France Larouche's young Quebec team have probably never used a corn broom. The old-style brooms favoured by many players as their delivery broom leave a lot of debris on the ice. Cleaning up a few errant straws here and there is fine, but imagine having an entire corn broom sliding toward your slide path as you deliver your stone in a semi-final game. That's what happened when Randy Garland competed in a senior semi-final against Bob Turcotte. Third Ralph Joncas tried to slide his skip's corn broom down the length of Sheet 2. The broom looked like it picked, and headed straight for Sheet 3 and a collision with a Larouche thrower. Quick-thinking Garland second John Chiarelli diverted the ISO (identified sliding object) just before worlds collided. The broom was finally subdued on Sheet 4 where the other senior semi was being played. Curlers yell '`hurry'' or ``hard'' or ``never,'' but seldom ``incoming.''
FAMILY VIEWING: TSN's Vic Rauter has seen some great curling and that's just from watching his wife Debbie. Debbie Rauter had her own team in the Cowan and did pretty well. She came close to the money, losing to Cathy Overton-Clapham in a B-side qualifier, and finished with a 5-4 record.
GAME ON RISE: Andre Ferland is one of the most knowledgeable curling authorities in Quebec or anywhere for that matter. Watching Larouche play at the Rideau yesterday, Ferland said he was optimistic about the future of curling in Quebec, and feels stars like Guy Hemmings and Larouche are great for the game in a province not known to embrace the sport with much enthusiasm. '`There are plenty of good junior teams right behind Larouche,'' he said.
VICTORY IN A WALK: The Wayne Middaugh team provided its own transportation en route to winning the men's championship with a 5-2 win over Guy Hemmings. With a top draw like last night's final, parking was at a premium at the Rideau, forcing the Ontario team to park far away. As the curlers walked into the club, a spectator asked if they had walked from their hotel. '`Yeah,'' replied third Graeme McCarrel, ``we are athletes.'' Middaugh added, ``Actually we ran ... we're just winding down.'' Prize money of $13,000 can help you wind down lots.
2002 Games Curling Coverage
