THUNDER BAY – Krista McCarville says the joke around her house is she’s going to keep curling until daughter Bella is ready to join the team.
Unfortunately the 12-year-old likely won’t be on hand to witness in person her mother’s latest journey to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, despite it being held in her hometown.
That’s the downside of McCarville’s foursome being named on Friday to represent Northern Ontario for a fifth time at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, marking her ninth appearance at the national women’s curling championship.
All signs are pointing to the event being contested inside a bubble for the second straight year, crowds likely not allowed at Fort William Gardens to witness Thunder Bay’s first Scotties Tournament of Hearts since 1996.
But unlike last year, when McCarville, lead Sarah Potts, second Ashley Sippala and third Kendra Lilly, who calls Sudbury home, chose not to accept the Scotties berth, there was really not much discussion this time around.
“Obviously you’re excited to play in any Scotties,” the 39-year-old skip said. “Wearing the moose on your back and representing Northern Ontario is a really big thing and we’re super excited to that we get to do it, especially being at home – even though it’s not going to be the full effect.
“We’re still at home, we’re still the home team and definitely really excited still.”
McCarville said in part the decision was made after another year of living with the realities of COVID-19.
Perspectives change, she said.
“We want to be safe and we want to make sure everyone is safe and have the bubble, but life is just different. I think most people are just living through it now. Life’s different and we’ve got to live life. We didn’t hesitate one second to play. We want to play and we want to be here.”
Potts, who has young twins at home, said the hometown vibe helps make up for not being able to see their families over the course of the Scotties, scheduled to start in three week’s time.
“It’s kind of a happy day and also a little bit sad,” Potts said.
“We knew we were going to do it this year. Last year was so hard to not go. It was just one of those things that we talked about ahead of time that if it was a bubble, we were going to do it. It is hard. It’s hard on her families to be gone that long. We love the idea of being at home and being to see our families throughout it, so we’re really lucky our families are supporting us to do it.”
Curling Canada has yet to officially announce a return to a bubble format, which would see curlers and tournament officials and volunteers sequestered, but Potts’ father, Rick Lang, a vice-chair of the local organizing committee, has said the sports governing body is seeking the approval of the Ontario government and public health officials to operate one in Thunder Bay.
Lang also said he’s been assured by Curling Canada that the city will be considered for a future Scotties with fans in the stands, perhaps as soon as 2024. The 2023 event on Thursday was awarded to Kamloops, B.C.
McCarville, who said she’s got no plans to retire any time soon, said she’d gladly stick around to get the full Scotties experience in her hometown.
“I’d love to be playing in it,” she said.
