Look out for Team Lukowich

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This article was published 20/12/2022 (1013 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Every curling team has a story about how they came together.

For Team Katy Lukowich, which features third Lauren Rajala, second Mikaylah Lyburn and lead Makenna Hadway, the first chapter starts more than a year ago with an unexpected direct message on Instagram.

Lukowich was looking for a roster for the 2021-22 curling season when out of nowhere, Isabelle Ladouceur’s Northern Ontario team reached out. Rajala, who hails from Sudbury, Ont., played second for Ladouceur.

“They had seen that I had some success here in the past and they needed a player. So, I moved out there and actually lived in Lauren’s house for the year and we had lots of success,” said the 20-year-old Lukowich.

“I had never met them before. My first time meeting Lauren was when I got to her house.”

“I thought about it for a while and realized that if I wanted to have success that this was probably my best option. So, my mom drove me all the way to Sudbury then she flew back home. It’s 18 hours from Winnipeg to Sudbury.”

Lukowich started out as the alternate, but got was promoted to skip for the last half of the year as Ladouceur aged out of the junior ranks. Lukowich ended up throwing the final stones for the team at the 2022 Canadian Junior Curling Championships in Stratford, Ont. They jumped out to a 7-1 record to win their pool before faltering in the playoffs and losing the bronze medal game.

Lukowich and Rajala are hoping they can return to nationals again this season, only this time, they’ll have to do it in buffalo jackets. Lukowich and Lyburn wanted to play together for years, so, Rajala moved to Winnipeg to join the club, one that also features Hadway, to compete out of Granite Curling Club. With the team in their final year of junior eligibility, they’re focused on the upcoming Manitoba Women’s Junior Open Championship in Portage la Prairie (Jan. 17-21), but that’s not the only big event on their calendar next month.

Lukowich and Co. earned a Winnipeg regional berth into the Manitoba Scotties with a victory over veteran Darcy Robertson on Saturday at Deer Lodge Curling Club. They initially signed up for the qualifier just to get a few games under their belt before junior provincials. Now the youngsters will have an opportunity to play against the province’s best — Jennifer Jones, Kaitlyn Lawes, Chelsea Carey and Abby Ackland, just to name a few — in East St. Paul (Jan. 24-29). Curl Manitoba announced the 12-team field on Monday.

“It’s going to be a great experience,” said Lyburn.

“I’m very excited to go and play against Kaitlyn Lawes, Jennifer Jones and all those different teams that I watched for years. It’s very exciting. I think the goal is to make playoffs or at least, have some good games against all these wonderful teams and have fun, obviously.”

It won’t be Lyburn’s first time stepping on the ice with some of the biggest names in the sport as she’s played in several high-level mixed doubles events with her dad, William Lyburn, this season, including the Winnipeg Open which brought a long list of Scotties, Brier, and world championship winners to town.

As you would expect, the 19-year-old Lyburn fell in love with the sport through her dad. William has been one of the top local men’s skips for years.

“I’ve been coming to the curling rink since I was six months old watching my dad. I used to have this magnet board from Asham with all the different rocks and I’d sit behind the glass and I’d show it to my parents or the wives or girlfriends that were also there watching,” said Lyburn.

“From there, I just liked the sound of the rock going down the ice and the impact the rocks made. I even liked the smell of the curling rink. It’s just something that’s been my favourite thing since I was younger.”

Lukowich has a similar story as her father is Mark Lukowich, who won the 2002 Manitoba men’s curling title. Mark and William both coach the team.

“I think he’s definitely my biggest role model,” Lukowich said. “Now having my dad and Willie Lyburn as our coaches, it’s just the best. They have so much knowledge and experience to share with us. And they’ve become really good friends. Now they go fishing together.”

Team Lukowich has won three recent events, including the Selkirk Manitoba Junior Curling Title Spiel last month, and they feel this group, which also features fifth Lexa Sigurdson, has the potential to make a lot of noise next month.

Canadian junior nationals take place in Rouyn-Noranda, Que., between March 25-April 2.

“We’ve done pretty well and I think it’s because of how many rocks we throw and how much time we spend together on and off the ice,” said Lyburn.

“We’re not just teammates, we’re friends.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31