Team Brandwood's Journey to the Ontario Scotties

For Team Brandwood, the 2024 - 2025 elite curling season has not only included a fresh new face added to the back end of the team with Lauren Peskett (previously Horton) now at vice, it's also provided the team - skip Chelsea Brandwood, second Brenda Chapman and lead Keira McLaughlin - the chance to get six World Curling Tour events under their belt that included notching two final finishes, one semi-final finish and one quarter-final finish. 

Team Brandwood: 2024-2025 Curling Season

Team Brandwood 2023-2024 Season Wrap Up

This season, Team Brandwood's collective performance and subsequent ranking on Curling Canada's CTRS (Canadian Team Ranking System) Ranking - they ranked second in Ontario behind Team Homan (current Team Canada National Champion) - has earned them an automatic entry into the 2025 Ontario Scotties - Curling Ontario's 2025 Provincial Women's Championships.

For 2025, the Ontario Scotties will be held in Cobourg at the Cobourg Community Centre and will be hosted by West Northhumberland Curling Club. Ontario's Women's Team Champion earns the right to represent Ontario at Curling Canada's 2025 National Curling Championships - the Scotties Tournament of Hearts - to be held in Thunder Bay, Ontario.  

Ontario Women's Championships

January 19-26, 2024 at Cobourg Community Centre

Open Qualifier Jan. 3 – 5, 2025	4 Berths at Open Qualifier	Double knockout event
Other Qualifications	Top eight CTRS standings as of Dec 16, 2024	Advance directly to Provincials
Provincial Championship	12 Team Triple Knockout	Page Playoff
Tournament of Hearts	February 14-23, 2025	Thunder Bay, ON

This event is open to female teams with no age restrictions.

(Source: Curling Ontario)

With much accomplished and more to be done, SeeWhatSheCanDo (SWSCD) wanted to check in with Team Brandwood to learn first hand what have been the team's biggest challenges to date, what they think of their successes to date, their thoughts on how the season's events have worked out for the team, and some insight how each player manages their compete/work/home life balance.

In addition to getting the team's perspective on their season, we also made sure to ask the team's coach - John Gabel - what his thoughts were on the team's progress so far.

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SWSCD: What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a team so far? How have you chosen to work through it as a team?

TB: The biggest challenges so far have been the distance between us all and the outside commitments we’ve had to juggle as a team. We’ve had a couple events where we played with 3 for some or all the games and just had to make sure everyone knew what was needed to perform at our best. The distance between each of us has made practicing as a team a challenge but we’ve taken it upon ourselves to have regular virtual meetings and check-ins to make sure everyone has everything they need and we’re all working towards the same goals we’ve set for ourselves. 

Coach John:  I think we started the season with our two biggest challenges being the distance between everyone and having a new vice on the team. We’re fortunate that Chelsea and Lauren played together in juniors some time ago, so they do have some knowledge of each other to go off. We made a conscious effort in the summer to try and do a bunch of virtual meetings and to all get together at least once, so that we could come out of the gates with a base already established and just work on fine tuning the on-ice aspects. All that seems to have paid dividends, and the ladies have been able to gel together really well.

SWSCD: What’s been your biggest success to date as a team? How do you help each other experience the small wins too as you’ve progressed through the season this year?

TB: The biggest successes to date have been staying consistent and making the finals in two bonspiels. We’ve enjoyed a couple good extended runs at events and also have experienced some really tightly contested games when things haven’t gone our way in events. Knowing that the margin for success was relatively small when things haven’t gone our way is very encouraging. 

We’ve also done well at recognizing the small successes we’ve each had in games or events. It can be as simple as saying 'good shot' or making sure each person gets recognized for putting their best foot forward even in trying times. Just being generally supportive and having each other’s back has gone a long way to sustained positivity. 

Coach John: Early in the season we were able to keep an eye on the big picture when a game or event didn’t go as we hoped, so that we could accurately track our progress and assess where we were at. You’d love to come out guns blazing right away, but that’s not the most realistic outcome and the ladies were all really good about that. 

SWSCD: With a number of bonspiels under your belt as a team, would you have any recommendations to the organizers in terms of how to make your experience competing at them better/more enjoyable/rewarding for you and your teammates? 

TB/Coach John: There’s been a couple events that have tried to create a different atmosphere or setup that haven’t really played out to be positive. Sometimes going with the existing model and executing it at a high level is the best outcome for the participants. Sometimes something as simple as supplying coffee to the curlers goes a long way to creating a good experience. 

We’ve been fortunate to have some good schedules at events so far this season, but we know there’s been some events where other teams have struggled with the frequency or timing for games, depending on where you fell into the draw. 

SWSCD: Switching gears, we would love to know one thing each of you do to manage the hectic pace that the season brings and what you do to create a little bit of balance to your compete/work/home commitments? Is it something you would recommend other elite athletes try for themselves too?

Brenda: Right now I'm on maternity leave so I try to purposely follow up competition weekends with lighter schedules on the Monday or Tuesday to recover and spend more time with my baby (Tess). 

Lauren: I like to schedule out my time in advance to make sure I’m meeting all my commitments for curling, working, and family. Making sure I’m only focused each area one at a time ensures that I can be 100% committed to that aspect of my life in that moment. 

Keira: Having a significant other with similar passions (curling) allows you to have aspects of quality time that could be curling related or not curling related. Being able to compete on the same weekends and then come home and escape curling for a couple days can really align time commitments and desires. 

Chelsea: Using a calendar has helped to manage work events, curling practice/events and family events. Our calendar is often filled with many events each month but making sure to put 100% of my effort into each event and family gathering is what we love to do. 

Coach John: At this point of the season, I think each of the ladies have found the best way for them individually to prepare for an event. That becomes important as we enter the lead-up to provincial preparation and the holiday season, where commitments can intensify amongst family and friends and less on the curling front.

SWSCD: Our last question is completely unrelated to curling but still an important one for each player to answer -  do you have a favourite flavour of ice cream? If so, what is it?

Keira: Heavenly Hash

Brenda: Reese’s Cookie Dough (DQ blizzard) 

Lauren: Mint chocolate Chip 

Chelsea: Chocolate Brownie cookie Dough

Coach John: Cookies N'Cream

Team Brandwood Sponsors - 2024-2025 Season

Montana's BBQ & Bar

Almonte Hearing Aid Clinic

Assante Wealth Management - Laurie Horan, Investment Advisor

Bullivant Health & Safety

Great Wolf Lodge - Niagara

Tommy Gun's original barbershop

McWane Canada

Goldline Curling

Stu Sells Realty Team

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