Team Clendenan

The Brokerlink OVCA Junior Super Spiel is an opportunity for local teams to play against some of the best in the world and it has a long standing history of entrants who later went on to accomplish great things in curling. As is prudent, there is a qualifying process for attendance at the OVCA (Ottawa Valley Curling Association) and limited berths are awarded to either Provincial or National Champions or to winners from a designated qualifier event such as the SOSSQ (Southern Ontario Super Spiel Qualifier). Just getting into the qualifier event is no easy feat, and OJCT (Ontario Junior Curling Tour) teams must first prove they are worthy through a selection committee who evaluates participants based on their previous season’s accomplishments. Only 12 teams from the OJCT make the cut into the SOSSQ and Team Clendenan was one of them.

The original goal was to play in the junior SOSSQ to stretch the purple girls so that they would be stronger in their own (lower) bantam age division this season but it wasn’t long before the learning curve was also producing results. Adapting to their opponents quickly, Team Clendenan snuck out a first game win in an extra end but then they added to their leader board score with a second win that wrapped up with a four pointer in their favour. The following two games were separated by a single point up until the last rock and though they ended in losses, the good guys were creating chatter in the club. When the shootout score was posted after the round robin play and Team Clendenan had the second highest ranking (amongst the girls and boys combined) it was hard to tell if the girls or their opponents were more shocked that they had earned a place in the playoffs as well.

It’s a common motivational speech that there is nothing more dangerous to a successful team than another team that has nothing to lose. Team Clendenan had already surpassed what they thought they were capable of at the SOSSQ and the quarter final game against GREENWOOD – who had previously beaten them in round robin play and had also been to nationals – was a matchup with a fairly predictable outcome. Yet, the underdogs prevailed. The purple crew not only executed until the opposition shook early but they continued their innocent momentum in the semi-final game as well by stealing their way to a win over the dual Ontario and Canadian Winter games champion (SMITH). Given that there were two tickets to the OVCA, the final game against MURPHY was merely to determine first and second place which was fortunate because Team Clendenan had long since exhausted their gas tanks. Admirably keeping up for the first half of the game, the purple girls were eventually overpowered but it didn’t sully what they had accomplished up to that point and the smiles were huge. Against all odds, Team Clendenan would be going to the OVCA Junior Super Spiel at the end of October.

Keeping in mind that the fabulous foursome are only 14 and 15 years old, competing in a category for players under 20 is a scary endeavour and kudos go out to them for bravely taking it on. The fact that they were able to complete their experience by moving on to compete against teams from every province in Canada as well as teams from USA, Scotland and Switzerland is amazing. Apparently, “ Nothing reduces the odds against you like ignoring them” ~ Robert Brault.