Team Brandwood: 

L to R:  Chelsea Brandwood (Skip), Brenda Holloway (Vice), Riley Sandham (Second), Hilary Nuhn (Lead), Jillian Page (alternate)

Congratulations to Team Brandwood of Listowel Curling Club who earned a spot at this year's Ontario Curling Association (Curl ON) Women's and Men's Provincial Championships. Happening from January 27th to February 3rd at the Woolwich Memorial Centre in Elmira Ontario, winners of the Provincial Championship will claim the title of "the best women's and men's teams in Ontario" and will also represent the province at Curling Canada's national 2019 Scotties Tournament of Hearts (women) and Tim Horton's Briar (men). 

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The ups (and downs) of qualifying 

We were given the generous opportunity by Team Brandwood to document their efforts in earning a spot at this year's Women's Ontario Provincial Championships (also known as the Ontario Scotties). This is their story of what it takes to qualify and the ups and downs they encountered through the qualifying process.  For Team Brandwood, this is not only their first year competing collectively together as a team. For everyone except Vice Brenda Holloway (who has two seasons in the Women's division under her belt), it's also their first year competing outside of junior and at the Women's level.

Forging life-long friendships

For team players Chelsea, Brenda and Riley, they've made many lasting friendships while competing at the junior and university levels of curling.  In particular, both Chelsea and Brenda competed together at the 2015 Junior Nationals and Chelsea, Brenda and Riley had the opportunity to raise an OUA Women's Curling Championship banner when they played together at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Chelsea and Brenda together with their teammates at the 2015 Junior Nationals

Chelsea, Riley and Brenda together as part of the 2015-2016 OUA Championship-winning Wilfried Laurier Women's Curling Team  

Qualifying - First Attempt:  The OCA Cash Spiel #2 - Leaside Curling Club

The first OCA tournament that provided teams with the chance to qualify for the Provincial Championships was the OCA Cash Spiel #2 held at Leaside Curling Club.  The top two teams (winners of both A and B events) would earn their spot to compete provincially.  With all of the best women's and men's curling teams looking to earn a spot at provincials, it meant the competition would be tough. The ladies would have to be completely on their game and make the most of the triple-knockout format.  In the end, their 4 and 3 record wasn't good enough to put them in either one of the bonspiel's top two spots.

 

Qualifying - Attempt #2: Ontario Scotties - Open Qualifier - Niagara Falls Curling Club

The Team's second attempt to qualify for this year's Provincial Championships found themselves competing at the OCA's Ontario Scotties Open Qualifier hosted by the Niagara Falls Curling Club on the weekend following the OCA Cash Spiel.  Again, Open Qualifier winners of both the A and B events would earn a spot at the Ontario Scotties.  Everyone on Team Brandwood sharpened their focus, recognizing how critical this bonspiel was to meet the team's goal of competing at provincials.

For Vice Brenda Holloway, a focus on uping their game and playing as a team made the difference to earn them a spot at this year's Ontario Scotties.

"We had a strong game against Inglis to advance to the A event final Saturday night.  We came out a little flat against Auld which put us into the B event final on Sunday at 6pm.  Sunday morning/early afternoon we spent the day doing some team bonding and completed an Escape Room in St. Catherines.  The Team came out strong in the B event final and won 8-5 to advance to the Ontario Scotties."

Success - Next Step:  The Ontario Scotties - Women's Ontario Provincial Championships

Looking to support Team Brandwood on their journey to the Ontario Scotties and watch some amazing high-level women's and men's provincial curling?  Check out the Team's game schedule below as well as lots more general tournament, ticket and team information, rosters and schedules.  We wish Team Brandwood the best of luck at this year's Ontario Scotties.

Team Brandwood Game Schedule:

When: 

Sunday January 27th - Sunday February 3rd, 2019

Schedule - Ontario Provincial Championships:

Source:  Curl ON

Where:

Woolwich Memorial Centre - Elmira, Ontario

Who - Women's teams playing:

Source:  Curl ON

Want to know more?  Find details and ticket information at the official website of the 2019 Ontario Provincial Championships.

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