She focuses on job at hand

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This article was published 22/12/2009 (6128 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Breanne Meakin has gone as far as a player can go in junior women’s curling.

But the 19-year-old skip can’t see past the ice at Charleswood Curling Club right now, and that’s been a big part of her team’s success this week at Curl Manitoba’s 2010 Junior Women’s Provincial Curling Championship.

Meakin’s foursome of third Briane Meilleur, second Mariah Mondor and lead Krysten Karwacki earned a first-place finish in their group with a 6-1 record and then Monday night won their 1 vs. 1 playoff game over Meghan Armit of Stonewall to earn a berth into today’s final.

"An experience like that just helps you grow as a player and learn how not to miss shots or the right way to miss them if you don’t make a shot, and that’s just been a really good tool on our team," said Meakin, who last season was the lead on Kaitlyn Lawes’ team that won the provincial and national championships and went on to earn silver at the 2009 World Junior Curling Championship, played at the Olympic site in Vancouver.

"I don’t get nervous for games like I used to, but another important thing I learned was trying not to look at the big picture, to just focus on the game you are playing and not look at outcomes. It’s hard sometimes, but I remind myself that’s how you get over your nerves. It’s easy to just focus on one shot, and the rest will work out."

On the junior men’s side at Deer Lodge Curling Club, two playoff games will be held today at 9 a.m. One game will feature Alex Forrest of Deer Lodge against Jared Kolomaya of Stonewall, both first-place finishers in their group, while the other will be Michael Johnson of Assiniboine Memorial against defending champion Sam Good of Pembina. The junior men’s semifinal will be held today at 1 p.m., followed by the championship final at 5 p.m.

When last season ended last March, Meakin found herself in the position of not having a team when her three Lawes teammates graduated from the junior age group. So she decided to build her own team.

Meakin contacted Mondor, her former second when she skipped a J.H. Bruns High School team, and later added Meilleur and Karwacki, whom had curled against in club play.

"I was looking for well-rounded players, ones that can sweep well, throw big weight, have a good touch game. We have that on our team. We’ve all jelled really well, so it’s been a good run," Meakin said.

Mondor said Meakin’s impressive run with the Lawes team affected her decision to join Meakin’s new team this year.

"She just called me out of the blue and asked me to be her second. I was really excited about having the opportunity to play with her and for something different," said Mondor, a Grade 11 student at J.H. Bruns who will turn 17 on Dec. 27. "Knowing that she’s been to a world final did have a part in it, but I also know her as a person as well, and I know that she’s a strong skip and we’d have a good team. It’s been a lot of fun."

Breanne’s dad Rob, a member of Kerry Burtnyk’s men’s team, said the team was assembled in the spring so the players could do some team-building through the summer.

"For a new team and three of the girls in the provincials for their first times, they’ve done a great job," said Meakin, who coached the Lawes teams last year.

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca

Full results C12

 

Sportsmanship, coaching excellence honoured

 

Susan Galbraith Awards for Sportsmanship at the Manitoba Provincial Junior Women’s Championships (as voted by the players)

 

Junior women: third Jenna Johnstone of the Kristen McFarlane team from Carberry

Junior men: third Scott Peterson of the Joel Hildebrand team from Deer Lodge

 

Asham Coaching Excellence Award

 

Junior women: Colin Grenkow, coach of the Shannon Birchard team from Pembina

Junior men: Bill Kitching, coach of the Jared Kolomaya team from Stonewall