Meet Team Brandwood: The Backstory on Lead Keira McLaughlin
1. How did you first get introduced to curling?
I started curling after seeing it on TV. My dad curled in high school and decided to watch the Scottie’s one day. I told him I wanted to try it so he brought me to Little Rock’s and I stuck with it.
2. Was there someone or something that was a key motivating factor for you to curl and to aspire to play at a high level?
When I was 13, I got asked to curl with the team that had travelled to Newfoundland the year before for Atlantics. I played with them the rest of my junior career and they drove me to be better every year.
Be in the Know With SWSCD: Meet Elite Canadian Curlers Team Brandwood
Meet Team Brandwood: The Backstory on Skip Chelsea Brandwood
Meet Team Brandwood: The Backstory on Second Brenda Chapman
3. What would you tell someone aspiring to be a high level curler to do to develop the skills and mindset needed to be able to compete and play at the highest levels of the game?
Don’t be afraid to lose a lot of games. While playing as a junior, we signed up for any women’s events in the area. The higher level of competition only made us better as a team, despite losing a lot of games.
4. What do you enjoy most about the game of curling?
I enjoy the community of curling. I’ve made 2 major moves in my life and the first friends I make are always at my new curling club.
5. If you could go back in time, what would you tell your 10 year old self?
I would tell myself to focus less on results and more on the people around me. When you enjoy the journey instead of focusing on results, any wins are better and losses are less disappointing.
6. Do you have a favourite memory that stands out in your curling career to date?
My favorite curling memory was winning the New Brunswick Canada games qualifier. It was the first provincial I won and, despite going in as the number 1 seed, I couldn’t believe we would actually be representing our province while competing on the other side of the country.
7. What one piece of advice would you give to someone just starting out in the game of curling?
Learning happens off the ice just as much as on the ice. Discussions with other club members and teammates can improve strategy, sweeping, slide and more.
8. What one suggestion/recommendation would you make to increase what Canadians know about high-level competitive curling and the elite players who compete to be the best in the game? How do you see this making a difference?
Canadians should know that competing at a high level is not as easy as it looks. I hear a lot of jokes about curling being boring and easy but a lot of us have strict off-ice training in the gym and dedicate our whole lives to being the best. I hope this makes it easier for elite athletes to feel proud of what they do and all the work they put in.
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