Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Jones boots her third off team
Overton-Clapham stunned by dismissal
The Jennifer Jones curling team dropped a bombshell Thursday night with the announcement that they have dumped third Cathy Overton-Clapham from their three-time defending Canadian champion squad.
Overton-Clapham, the most decorated women's curler in Manitoba history and a member of the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame, was summoned to a team meeting on Wednesday and informed by Jones that her services were no longer required.
Related Items
Overton-Clapham said Thursday night that she had no indication there was any problem -- her team has, after all, won the last three Canadian women's titles -- and was stunned by the news.
"I had absolutely no idea. When we were talking, I wasn't really even listening because I was blown away," Overton-Clapham said. "But then they sent me an email later saying they were looking for someone with more energy, more excitement, more vision."
They certainly won't find anyone with more championships. Overton-Clapham has won five Canadian women's curling titles -- one short of Colleen Jones's record of six -- as well as a world women's title and a Canadian junior title.
She has represented Manitoba or Canada at 11 national women's curling championships -- a Manitoba record.
Jones has a long history -- and an unenvied reputation -- for ruthlessly dumping teammates.
In a statement, the team said they made the move with the 2014 Sochi Olympics in mind.
"Our goal is to represent Canada at the World Women's Curling Championship and the Olympics. To do that, we need to take steps now to ensure we will have a complete set of skills and strengths come 2014," Jones said in the statement, which the team released late last night after the Free Press began making inquiries.
Overton-Clapham said she attended the team meeting Wednesday thinking her teammates -- Jones, second Jill Officer and lead Dawn Askin -- were going to discuss the team's schedule for the upcoming season.
"I was thinking people were going to say they wanted a lighter schedule, maybe have some babies. And instead they told me I was gone... That's why I was so surprised. And now I'm wondering: How long has this been going on?"
Overton-Clapham said she was told the other three team members will be staying together. She said she didn't know who the team was going to replace her with.
What she does know, however, is that she's now in a terrible jam.
"Look at all the things I earned the right to compete in that have been taken away -- Team Canada, the Canada Cup, the Continental Cup, all of it."
The Jones foursome is coming off a bittersweet winter. They won their third straight Canadian title but missed the big prize -- representing Canada at the Winter Olympics. They also had to settle for bronze at the worlds and most recently lost out in the quarter-finals at The Players Championship.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 23, 2010 C5
-
WFP Hockey
Download our new hockey app for the iPhone for Winnipeg Jets updates
-
Editor's Bulletin
Sign up for daily bulletins from editor Margo Goodhand
-
Winnipeg Jets
All things NHL on our Jets landing page
-
Twitter
Follow our reporters and our news feeds on Twitter
-
News Cafe
Check out the menu, read our blog posts or get info on coming events
-
Facebook Fanpage
Follow our Facebook Fanpage for story links, contests and special events
Ads by Google
- Back to Top
- Return to Curling
Poll
Most Popular
- Piers Morgan blasts 'gruesome' Madonna
- RCMP receptionist told Stobbe wife was dead
- Search is on for man seen leaving the scene where two Alberta Mounties were shot
- Province rules out reports of cougar in Transcona
- Slain woman appears before jury on video
- City family donates $1 million for endowed research chair in cardiology
- Should the federal government be spending $7.5 million on the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee?
- Census 2011 : Immigrant influx boosts Manitoban population
- LeAnn Rimes in pain following 'minor surgery'
- US teen gets life in prison for killing 9-year-old; called the murder "pretty enjoyable"
- Piers Morgan blasts 'gruesome' Madonna
- Clothing chain pulls Caterpillar boots to protest closure of London, Ont., plant
- Three winning tickets sold for Friday's $50 million Lotto Max jackpot
- Woman sexually assaulted during noon-hour in Exchange District
- Woman's car stolen at gunpoint at St. Vital mall, police say
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Stobbe said slaying during shopping trip 'strange': sister-in-law
- Eleven people killed after truck hits van in southwestern Ontario
- Tactical squad storms St. Vital house
- Restaurant Dubrovnik may be closed for good
- Do you smoke marijuana?
- Driver dead after SUV goes over Disraeli Bridge
- George Clooney's prank could end Pitt's career
- Piers Morgan blasts 'gruesome' Madonna
- Clothing chain pulls Caterpillar boots to protest closure of London, Ont., plant
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Tina Maze strips down to her sports bra to send out underwear message: 'Not your business'
- Group's speed-limit sign removed from Pembina Highway
- Car's plunge off Disraeli fatal
- Two children, two women die in fire
- Harper driven by libertarian ideology, not reality
- Province rules out reports of cougar in Transcona
- Census 2011 : Immigrant influx boosts Manitoban population
- OMG! Candy kings back at it
- Original Joe's, Elephant & Castle expanding
- Task force to review 2011 flood
- Winnipeg software company ranked top employer
- Easy, economical, healthy soup
- Lesson about war, power told with Shaw's comic touch
- Stobbe said slaying during shopping trip 'strange': sister-in-law
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- League encourages hazing secrecy
- Northern fishing lodge destroyed by fire
- Police target drivers talking on cellphones, texting
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Obama torn by conflicting allies
- Harper driven by libertarian ideology, not reality
- 'This is so silly': Mom and Dad tell story of baby Zade, born on side of Highway 59
- Time, it appears, is on Assad's side
- Woman's car stolen at gunpoint at St. Vital mall, police say
- Minor earthquake strikes near Manitoba
- Paddler Starkell was modern-day voyageur
- Driver dead after SUV goes over Disraeli Bridge
- Car's plunge off Disraeli fatal
- Local shooting spoofed on SNL
- Winnipeg mother watches as car stolen with child inside
- Canadian woman 'badly injured' in Mexico, local media report apparent beating
- Swedish bunny's sheep herding skills becomes click-monster on YouTube
- League encourages hazing secrecy
- 4 dead in northern Ontario plane crash
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010; View the changes. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.