THUNDER BAY – Krista McCarville’s loudest cheers this week might be coming from inside her classroom.
Holy Family School was awash in green and yellow on Wednesday morning, the kids in McCarville’s Grade 6 classroom donning Northern Ontario colours and foam curling rock hats to cheer on their teacher as she took on unbeaten New Brunswick at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Students, waving inflatable thunder sticks and cheering wildly at every shot made – or missed – cheering their teacher on to victory in a must-win match with the round-robin portion of the national women’s curling championship rapidly winding down.
Leading the way was a pair of hockey-playing 11-year-olds, who said they look up to McCarville as a role model, both on the ice and inside the classroom.
Avery Wrigley said it was exciting to see her teacher on the smart board screen at the Rosslyn Road school, instead of at the front of the classroom leading the daily lessons.
“Not every class gets to watch their own teacher be a pretty professional curler,” Avery said, a cheer erupting behind her.
“She is a big role model to me. Her daughter is also on my hockey team, so as a young athlete I really look up to her as a really good athlete.”
Classmate Lily Don Comeau agreed it was an exciting morning.
“It’s really cool. Not a lot of teachers do this stuff,” she said.
“She’s a really good role model. She practices, tells everyone to keep going. I’m watching it at home too.”
Team McCarville had two fans in particular rooting for them – her nine-year-old son Kalin and second Ashley Sippala’s daughter Ava, a kindergarten student at Holy Family School.
Kalin stayed up well past his bedtime on Tuesday night making a ‘Go Team McCarville’ sign in support of his mother’s team, his older sister Bella helping him a bit with the design.
“I did most of the colouring,” he said, saying it’s pretty heartwarming to see his entire school waring the Northern Ontario colours.
“My mom is on TV, so I like to see how everybody cheers her up. Her last game wasn’t the best, so hopefully she does better this game,” Kalin said.
Principal Ryan Gatto said it was the school’s way to show support for one of their own.
“We’re super proud of Krista and Ashley and the rest of the team. We thought as a school community we would come together and we would support Krista and Team McCarville and their quest to become Scotties champs,” Gatto said.
McCarville, after an 8-7, extra-end win over New Brunswick, sits at 4-2 with Saskatchewan’s Penny Barker on tap on Wednesday night in a must-win game at Fort William Gardens.
Barker is also 4-2.
