Team Clendenan

The funny thing about experience is that you generally have to go into it without any and you usually come out of it with more than you bargained for but in either case, it ultimately makes you stronger. Never was this more evident than for Team Clendenan when they recently competed at the Ottawa Valley Super Spiel. Surrounded by decorated teams from across the country, U.S.A and Europe, the girls quickly discovered just how far they had been launched outside of their comfort zone; yet one calming factor was that the heartbeat of the event was the same curling game that each had played to get there. Despite the multilingual competition, the rocks were the same and the rules were the same so why not tackle it like any other game?

Facing the Atlantic U18 champions from New Brunswick right out of the gate, followed by the WORLD junior women’s Switzerland team and finishing with a face off against the back to back Northern Ontario Gold medalists from both the Ontario and Canada Winter Games, the package of talent that Team Clendenan had to face was daunting. Just the fact that the purple crew had earned their place to compete with these heavy weights was admirable, but they went one step further by keeping the games either tied or within a point for at least half of each game before they were eventually out matched by strategy and execution. So what measuring stick is appropriate for gauging success? Certainly not the W’s because not only did Team Clendenan prevent any ends with more than a deuce (without hammer) in the entire event, but the losses were never by a spread of more than two points either – quite an accomplishment for a bantam team without any national experience.

Edwin Louis Cole said that “You don’t drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there” which complements the idea of experiences making you stronger if you embrace them. Despite being in the deep end of the ocean at the OVSS, Team Clendenan did a fantastic job of learning how to swim with the sharks. All going well, next time the Clendenan fish will be the ones parting the water and humming the Jaws theme . . .