Inspired McCarville returns for another Tournament of Hearts run

Sitting on the sidelines for two years was tough, says four-time Ontario women’s curling champion Krista McCarville.

But inspired by the Northern Ontario Scotties a year ago, the veteran skip decided to get the team back together – with the addition of provincial finalist Kendra Lilly – and make another run at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

After losing their first cashspiel to start the season, the team, which also includes talented holdover lead Sarah Potts and second Ashley Sippala as well as alternate Oye-Sem Won Briand, stormed back with four straight wins, most recently the U.S. Open of Curling in Blaine, Minn. to start the new year.

The foursome also took the Colonial Square Ladies Classic, the Molson Cash Spiel, and Curl Mesabi Classic in their much heralded return to the rings.

“I think it’s because I’ve done this my whole entire life,” the 33-year-old McCarville said, taking a quick break from practice Monday at Fort William Curling Club.

“I started when I was 10 years old and I think I just have that fire, that competiveness inside me. Curling is my thing. I don’t really play any other sports. Those years that I took off, I really didn’t have anything else. I need to get my competiveness out somehow and this is my thing.”

She realized while she was away just how much she missed playing the game at a top level.

“It’s tough coming out and playing once or twice a week, even for fun, just because you expect to make every shot that you do, but you don’t because you’re not practicing as much. The drive inside, I’m excited and I know I want to be here now, where maybe a couple of years ago I doubted it, because I did need a break.”

Potts, who played for Lilly a year ago at the Northern Ontario play-downs, said it’s great to be back together.

“You can tell there’s a bit of excitement heading into play-downs and we’ve been having a good year. It’s been great,” Potts said.

“We all want to go the Scotties. That’s kind of the big goal for the year. That’s exciting on its own and we definitely have proven we can compete against the really good teams.”

There’s still the matter of the Tracy Fleury rink standing in their way at the four-team, double round-robin provincial championships, which get under way on Wednesday in Timmins. The McCarville rink opens up against North Bay’s Laura Payne – Timmins hopeful Gale Wiseman is the other team in the mix – but it’s Fleury that everyone is gunning for.

Fleury won the inaugural Northern Ontario women’s championship, is ranked 10th on the World Curling Tour (McCarville is 34th) and is the odds on favourite to make it to Grand Prairie, Alta. and the national Scotties next month.

“We have to curl really well to beat Team Fleury, but it really depends on the ice,” McCarville said. “If the ice is playing nice, I like to play more aggressive and kind of get into a good game. If the ice isn’t as good we play a little bit more defensive and wait for our chances. But no matter what, we’re going to have to play at our top level.”