Scotties vet Inglis finally hits the pebble

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This article was published 21/02/2024 (891 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CALGARY — Danielle Inglis loves her gig as Curling Canada’s social media and web content co-ordinator.

It has sometimes felt like torture at this time of year, though.

The 35-year-old skip from Whitby, Ont., has been a contender in her home province for years but just couldn’t get over the hump. Instead of being on the ice playing with the country’s best, she’s had to settle for working on the media bench at over half a dozen women’s curling nationals.

That’s not the case this week.

Curling Canada had to get someone else to take over her duties as Inglis won her first provincial championship last month to earn the right to be Team Ontario.

With Ottawa’s Rachel Homan pre-qualifying for the Scotties prior to the season, Inglis — ranked sixth in the Canadian Team Ranking System — didn’t have a giant standing in the way of her dream.

“I’ve always been a competitor first and I always want to be out there playing at any given moment. I love the pressure, and I love playing in front of a crowd,” said Inglis, who’s 3-4 and out of the playoff picture. She’ll play her final game Thursday morning against Manitoba’s Jennifer Jones.

“It’s an incredible feeling. It’s been a dream of mine and a goal of mine since I’ve been an early teen. To finally be here with my own team is indescribable. It’s the best time, and at the same time, we also feel like we’re meant to be here and that’s also one of the greatest feelings.”

The 2018 world mixed curling champion is new to competing on this stage but she’s very familiar with the venue — Calgary’s WinSport Event Centre.

When the Scotties took place there three years ago in a bubble owing to the pandemic, Inglis was on site for more than 60 days.

It’s safe to say this trip has been much more enjoyable.

“So much more fun. At the same time, it also feels like home because I’m so familiar with the building and the area. And the food delivery apps,” laughed Inglis.

Just like Inglis, Kelsey Rocque can no longer be labelled as one of the best curlers to never play at the Scotties.

The 29-year-old who resides in Carberry is filling in at second for the fourth and final Manitoba team that qualified for the tournament, Kate Cameron.

Rocque, who plays third full time for Assiniboine’s Beth Peterson, lost a heartbreaker in last month’s Manitoba provincial final in Morden to Kaitlyn Lawes.

It’s a situation Rocque has experienced before as she had two second-place finishes in Alberta in her skipping days.

Less than 48 hours later after this year’s loss, she was contacted by Cameron to replace a pregnant Taylor McDonald in the lineup.

The new-look Cameron side is 3-3 and will need to win its two final games on Thursday to have a shot at snatching the third and final playoff spot in Pool B away from B.C.’s Clancy Grandy.

“It was obviously really sad as I wanted to go with our team and win to get here. But it was a really good opportunity to get that call from Kate and the girls,” said Rocque, a two-time world junior curling champion skip.

“I hesitate to call it my first Scotties because I feel like I didn’t really win my way here. But it’s a great experience for me and something I can use moving forward which is nice.”

A few weeks after Morden, Rocque’s fiancée, Braden Calvert, came oh-so-close to qualifying for his first Brier. Calvert had a perfect record at Manitoba men’s provincials in Stonewall before falling to Reid Carruthers in the final.

“I truly believe they were the best team all week and sometimes it comes down to just one or two shots and unfortunately, they were on the wrong side of the inch,” said Rocque. “In our household, we kind of laugh that we’re kind of losers this year, but hopefully in the future that will change.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

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