Curling legend Jones finds new coach role rewarding

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This article was published 23/02/2025 (253 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jennifer Jones is still showing up on championship weekend.

It’s been a year since the Manitoba curling legend retired from the four-person game, but she hasn’t strayed far from the pebble.

In addition to playing mixed doubles with her husband, Brent Laing, and a new role in the broadcast booth where she provides expert analysis during games, Jones accepted her first coaching gig at the beginning of the season.

Who requested her services?

Two-time world champion Rachel Homan, who Jones was behind the bench for during the national women’s curling championship final in Thunder Bay, Ont. on Sunday.

Jones wasn’t there for the entire Tournament of Hearts but arrived at Fort William Gardens on Thursday to support the team in time for its most important stretch of games.

“I knew I couldn’t commit to the full week at the Scotties, but they really wanted me to come in whenever I could and that’s why I came in later in the week,” Jones told the Free Press.

Jones, who has a busy schedule between work, kids and TV appearances, has acted as more of a consultant for the team this season but has made it to several Grand Slam events. She relishes any chance to help in person.

“It’s been awesome. They’ve really made me feel a part of the team this week and you get your adrenalin rush, like I feel like I’m on the ice. When I’m behind the bench, I feel like I’m right there with them,” she said.

“I told them I wanted to make sure I could add value and they feel like I add value. I feel if I can add that one little piece here or there that can help them then it feels worthwhile, and there’s just so much respect and they’ve been awesome to work with.”

Homan won her fifth national title with a 6-1 victory over Manitoba’s Kerri Einarson, capping another stellar 11-0 run at the tournament.

“It’s great. It’s awesome,” Homan said of having Jones around on Thursday. “FaceTime is tough for debriefs and time zones, but, yeah, it’s great to have her here just adding that much more value in person.”

Jones and Homan were at the centre of some high-stakes heavyweight bouts over the years, including 13 matchups at nationals. Homan was 8-5 in those meetings, including triumphs in the 2013 and 2024 final. The 5-4 decision in last year’s title game in Calgary was Jones’ swan song at the Hearts.

“It’s been awesome. They’ve really made me feel a part of the team this week and you get your adrenalin rush, like I feel like I’m on the ice. When I’m behind the bench, I feel like I’m right there with them.”– Jennifer Jones, curling coach for Team Homan

“She has a lot of respect for me and, I mean, it’s a lot of mutual respect so she just asked if it would be something that I would be interested in and I just said I didn’t have a ton of time to give but I could give a little bit whenever it would work out, and that seemed to work out for the team,” said Jones, a six-time Canadian champion and the tournaments all-time wins leader with 177.

For Homan, she’s able to lean one of the best ever during moments of uncertainty. For Jones, it’s another way to feed her insatiable thirst for a challenge.

“I think for me, it’s just I’ve always loved being a leader and being a part of something and trying to achieve greatness, like trying to find those little pieces where you can be the very best. Obviously, their team is exceptional so it’s fun to be a part of a great team where you can add that little bit extra, so it’s a challenge for me,” she said.

“They’re so talented already, so it’s what can you add and it’s trying to find that little piece that you can maybe add.”

Jones was not called from her chair during the event — Homan didn’t need her late in games, as she was always winning — but was vocal in between ends and after games.

A front-row seat to the tournament she dominated for two decades might seem like dangerous territory for a competitor like Jones, as if it might reignite a fire that once burned so strongly. Contrary to that belief, she hasn’t felt the urge to get back on the ice and said she almost feels more pressure being rink-side because the outcome is out of her control.

“Honestly, it’s been pretty good. I thought it would be harder than it was, especially even being at the grand slams and being there not playing, but it’s been really fun to be in the booth. I’m really enjoying broadcasting and still feel like I’m a part of curling even though I’m not physically on the ice, and then being able to consult here and there, you kind of get that sense of team, the feeling of being a part of something so I’m enjoying that at all,” Jones said.

“That part has been easier than I thought it would be. I thought I would get the itch and go, ‘Oh, God, I wish I was out there,’ and I haven’t felt that so that makes me feel like it was the right decision.”

joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca