Krista McCarville knew her team was good.
But she had no idea just how good it was until last month, when three times she and her teammates knocked off defending Northern Ontario Scotties champion Tracy Fleury’s rink to earn McCarville a fifth trip to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Despite taking the past two seasons off, the 33-year-old skip is suddenly one of the most experienced teams at the national women’s curling championship.
McCarville, lead Sarah Potts, second Ashley Sippala and third Kendra Lilly, will also be seeking Thunder Bay’s first Scotties title in nearly 30 years, the last coming in 1988 when Heather Houston skipped Ontario to victory.
The crown is there for the taking – although perennial winner Jennifer Jones might disagree. But the field is thick with unfamiliar faces.
Ottawa’s Rachel Homan was upset in the Ontario final, while two-time finalist Val Sweeting was surprised by Chelsea Carey in Alberta. Stefanie Lawton was also ousted in Saskatchewan.
On paper that might bode well for Team Northern Ontario, but McCarville isn’t taking anything for granted.
“Even though those tops teams aren’t there, they were beat out and they were beat out by these teams,” McCarville said. “Obviously these team that have won, that maybe shouldn’t have won or aren’t the No. 1 players in their province are obviously really good players to beat them out.
“They could say the same for us. Tracy Fleury was definitely the favourite out of our province and we happened to win. We feel like we’re a strong team, so I’m sure all the other teams are feeling the same.”
There's plenty of experience, if not championships, in the field. Quebec's Marie France-Larouche is making her ninth appearance, as is PEI's Suzanne Birt. Only two skips already in the field will be making their Scotties debut.
Six years removed from her most recent of four Scotties appearances – and a trip to the semifinal – McCarville enters the 2016 tournament with one goal on her mind.
“Winning, I think, is a success. Obviously every time we go to the Scotties, we’re gaining something. You can find something that you’re going to take away from that weekend. But definitely our 100 per cent goal going in is to win,” McCarville said Tuesday night at a Fort William Curling Club send-off for Team Northern Ontario.
“And I don’t know if I can truly say I felt that way those last couple runs at the Scotties. I was so excited to be there and just looking at the schedule and seeing autograph sessions and all those little things that make you feel special.”
Potts has yet to make an on-ice appearance at the Scotties, but grew up around the game. Her father is two time world champion Rick Lang and her mother Lorraine Lang won world gold in 1989 playing for Houston and played on five Ontario champions, including three with McCarville.
It’s a foursome brimming with confidence, Potts said, even though Lilly has spent much of the season 10 hours away in her Sudbury hometown.
“We do know that we’re right up there with those top teams and we expect to be playing on Sunday and that’s where we want to be.”
Getting there means not getting caught up in the bright lights and all the off-ice activities.
“Every other bonspiel this year we were staying four to a room and there were no cameras around and we did well. We don’t want to get caught up in the TV and fans. We’re going to have our friends and family there, so it will be fun, but we kind of want to keep things the same.
“We just have to keep doing what we’re doing and not change things up too much.”
Team McCarville opens play Saturday at the Scotties against New Brunswick in the evening draw.
