February 24, 2006
HURRY HARD: BROCK HOSTS OUAS
ST. CATHARINES - Winning back-to-back Ontario University Athletics championships is a tough task in most sports. In the ultra-competitive world of OUA curling, it's an absolute rarity. A different school has won the men's championship in each of the past five years, while the women's side has featured a different champion in four of the past five seasons. That parity will make for an intense and exciting environment at the OUA Curling Championships, hosted by the Brock Badgers this weekend St. Catharines Golf and Country Club. Round robin action in both the men's and women's draws begin tonight, Friday, February 24 and continue through Saturday, with the semi-finals and gold medal matches scheduled for Sunday, February 26.
A new champion will definitely be crowned in the men's competition as 2005 banner winner the Waterloo Warriors didn't make the final four teams. The draw begins with the Queen's Golden Gaels taking on the Windsor Lancers, while the powerful Laurier Golden Hawks meet the host Brock Badgers. Laurier and Queen's have jumped ahead of the pack with a string of solid performances at recent tourneys. But success will depend on which team of four can best hold it together under the pressure of a long, grueling weekend.
"The key is to maintain that high intensity on the ice," says Laurier coach Ken McCormack. "It involves a lot of physical and mental preparation. Curling is a unique sport in that it takes all four individuals to perform at each position. If there's a weak position, you won't succeed."
McCormack's says that each of the members of his men's team have been performing at a high level this season, a point proven by their recent showing at a crossover held at Trent University earlier in the month.
"We had a really good weekend in Peterborough," says Laurier skip Bill Francis. "We play a good finesse game and that's only possible because we have good communication. No one gets down on each other when someone misses a shot. It's been good that way."
Francis returned to the Laurier rink for the Trent tournament after missing out on the previous event at Queen's University in late January because he was off at Nationals with the Southern Ontario junior U-21 men's team. One of his teammates for the Ontario rink was Jeff Grant, the vice of the Golden Gaels. The two curlers have become friends, though that will be left aside when their teams meet in the final match of the round robin Saturday.
"At Nationals, we were joking about playing against each other," says Francis.
The Brock men had a tough time in at the crossover but went 3-0 at the West Sectionals in Windsor last month. The Lancers experienced a similar slide at Trent, but some big wins, including an 8-7 victory over the 2005 champion Warriors, helped them hang on for the fourth spot in the league.
Waterloo's well-balanced women's team is the only rink with a chance to repeat as OUA champs this year. The Warriors finished third in the regular season standings and will take on the host Badgers to open up their tournament. Waterloo has been unlucky with some illnesses running through the team, the most serious of which was a bout of mononucleosis experienced by vice Jackie Craig. But they are healthy again and will pose a big challenge to Queen's, Brock and Laurier in the race for gold.
"We have a good combination of experience and youth and exceptional shot makers at the skip and vice positions," says Warriors coach Scott Allen. "And very solid strategic play."
At 6-1 through the regular season, Allen expects the Golden Gaels to be one of the strongest contenders. Queen's is led by third-year skip Stephanie Gray, who has won a provincial championship. The Waterloo coach suggests that when the Gaels are on their game, they are difficult to beat. Brock could surprise everyone as they have the potential to win it all but if the re-focused Waterloo rink plays like they can, the rare repeat could indeed occur.
"I trust in my players," says Allen. "They are their (own) biggest competition. If they play their game, balance the offensive and defensive strategies required and trust in each other's ability, we will repeat. The team is well prepared and both Marika (skip Marika Bakewell) and Jackie are throwing very well. Also, since Jackie's return from illness in early February, she and Marika seem to be enjoying their play more."
The banner is incentive enough for all eight rinks competing at the OUA Championships this weekend but a first or second place finish could mean the start of bigger things to come. The sport has been accepted into the 2007 Winter Universiade in Turin, Italy. Those teams taking first or second in conference championships would have the opportunity to compete at the 2006 University Curling Championships in Winnipeg from March 22-26. The winner of that event would qualify for Turin and curl on the same surface that Canadian Olympic competitors Shannon Kleibrink and Brad Gushue won their medals on.
"Each one of these teams knows that if they pull off the gold or silver, the door is open to go to the University Championships," says McCormack.
OUA CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
MEN
Friday, February 24
9:00 pm - Queen's vs Windsor
9:00 pm - Brock vs Laurier
Saturday, February 25
9:30 am - Queen's vs Brock
9:30 am - Laurier vs Windsor
2:00 pm - Queen's vs Laurier
2:00 pm - Brock vs Windsor
Sunday, February 26
9:00 am - Semi-Final (2 vs 3)
2:00 pm - Gold Medal Match (1 vs Winner of 2 vs 3)
WOMEN
Friday, February 24
9:00 pm - Queen's vs Laurier
9:00 pm - Brock vs Waterloo
Saturday, February 25
9:30 am - Queen's vs Waterloo
9:30 am - Laurier vs Brock
2:00 pm - Queen's vs Brock
2:00 pm - Laurier vs Waterloo
Sunday, February 26
9:00 am - Semi-Final (2 vs 3)
2:00 pm - Gold Medal Match (1 vs Winner of 2 vs 3)
Visit Brock's championship site for more information.
2006 OUA Curling Championships
- O U A -
Enquires can be addressed to:
David DiCenzo
Communications and Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Phone: 905-540-5156
Fax: 905-540-5149
Email: david.dicenzo@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
A new champion will definitely be crowned in the men's competition as 2005 banner winner the Waterloo Warriors didn't make the final four teams. The draw begins with the Queen's Golden Gaels taking on the Windsor Lancers, while the powerful Laurier Golden Hawks meet the host Brock Badgers. Laurier and Queen's have jumped ahead of the pack with a string of solid performances at recent tourneys. But success will depend on which team of four can best hold it together under the pressure of a long, grueling weekend.
"The key is to maintain that high intensity on the ice," says Laurier coach Ken McCormack. "It involves a lot of physical and mental preparation. Curling is a unique sport in that it takes all four individuals to perform at each position. If there's a weak position, you won't succeed."
McCormack's says that each of the members of his men's team have been performing at a high level this season, a point proven by their recent showing at a crossover held at Trent University earlier in the month.
"We had a really good weekend in Peterborough," says Laurier skip Bill Francis. "We play a good finesse game and that's only possible because we have good communication. No one gets down on each other when someone misses a shot. It's been good that way."
Francis returned to the Laurier rink for the Trent tournament after missing out on the previous event at Queen's University in late January because he was off at Nationals with the Southern Ontario junior U-21 men's team. One of his teammates for the Ontario rink was Jeff Grant, the vice of the Golden Gaels. The two curlers have become friends, though that will be left aside when their teams meet in the final match of the round robin Saturday.
"At Nationals, we were joking about playing against each other," says Francis.
The Brock men had a tough time in at the crossover but went 3-0 at the West Sectionals in Windsor last month. The Lancers experienced a similar slide at Trent, but some big wins, including an 8-7 victory over the 2005 champion Warriors, helped them hang on for the fourth spot in the league.
Waterloo's well-balanced women's team is the only rink with a chance to repeat as OUA champs this year. The Warriors finished third in the regular season standings and will take on the host Badgers to open up their tournament. Waterloo has been unlucky with some illnesses running through the team, the most serious of which was a bout of mononucleosis experienced by vice Jackie Craig. But they are healthy again and will pose a big challenge to Queen's, Brock and Laurier in the race for gold.
"We have a good combination of experience and youth and exceptional shot makers at the skip and vice positions," says Warriors coach Scott Allen. "And very solid strategic play."
At 6-1 through the regular season, Allen expects the Golden Gaels to be one of the strongest contenders. Queen's is led by third-year skip Stephanie Gray, who has won a provincial championship. The Waterloo coach suggests that when the Gaels are on their game, they are difficult to beat. Brock could surprise everyone as they have the potential to win it all but if the re-focused Waterloo rink plays like they can, the rare repeat could indeed occur.
"I trust in my players," says Allen. "They are their (own) biggest competition. If they play their game, balance the offensive and defensive strategies required and trust in each other's ability, we will repeat. The team is well prepared and both Marika (skip Marika Bakewell) and Jackie are throwing very well. Also, since Jackie's return from illness in early February, she and Marika seem to be enjoying their play more."
The banner is incentive enough for all eight rinks competing at the OUA Championships this weekend but a first or second place finish could mean the start of bigger things to come. The sport has been accepted into the 2007 Winter Universiade in Turin, Italy. Those teams taking first or second in conference championships would have the opportunity to compete at the 2006 University Curling Championships in Winnipeg from March 22-26. The winner of that event would qualify for Turin and curl on the same surface that Canadian Olympic competitors Shannon Kleibrink and Brad Gushue won their medals on.
"Each one of these teams knows that if they pull off the gold or silver, the door is open to go to the University Championships," says McCormack.
OUA CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
MEN
Friday, February 24
9:00 pm - Queen's vs Windsor
9:00 pm - Brock vs Laurier
Saturday, February 25
9:30 am - Queen's vs Brock
9:30 am - Laurier vs Windsor
2:00 pm - Queen's vs Laurier
2:00 pm - Brock vs Windsor
Sunday, February 26
9:00 am - Semi-Final (2 vs 3)
2:00 pm - Gold Medal Match (1 vs Winner of 2 vs 3)
WOMEN
Friday, February 24
9:00 pm - Queen's vs Laurier
9:00 pm - Brock vs Waterloo
Saturday, February 25
9:30 am - Queen's vs Waterloo
9:30 am - Laurier vs Brock
2:00 pm - Queen's vs Brock
2:00 pm - Laurier vs Waterloo
Sunday, February 26
9:00 am - Semi-Final (2 vs 3)
2:00 pm - Gold Medal Match (1 vs Winner of 2 vs 3)
Visit Brock's championship site for more information.
2006 OUA Curling Championships
- O U A -
Enquires can be addressed to:
David DiCenzo
Communications and Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Phone: 905-540-5156
Fax: 905-540-5149
Email: david.dicenzo@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
