The RDC women’s curling team has a definite goal heading into the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association championships in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
“The veterans on the team finished seventh at last year’s nationals (at NAIT) and definitely want to move up from that,” explained coach Brad Hamilton before leaving at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday.
“Really the women’s side is wide open and whoever makes the shots can win this. Fanshawe College (of London, Ont.) won the last two years and will go in as favourties and I feel if we play well we have a shot at making the playoffs.”
The top three teams, in the eight-team field, make the playoffs.
Two members of the team — skip Kaitlyn Sherrer and third Julie Primrose — return from last year’s team. In fact Sherrer is in her fourth year as women’s skip. Second Courtney Smith is in her first year with the team while Hamilton splits lead duties between rookie Taylor Eno and Jessica Newman, who is a second-year RDC student, but in her first season with the curling program.
Hamilton believes the toughest aspect of the tournament, at least for the rookies, will be getting used to playing with a time clock and with officials.
“The new girls will be a bit overwhelmed at first, so it’s up to myself and the veterans on the team to explain what’s happening and tell them there’s nothing to worry about,” said Hamilton.
The games will also be 10 ends, which is new after playing eight ends in the ACAC.
RDC placed third in the ACAC playoffs, back of Grant MacEwan and NAIT. The three ACAC teams will face five teams from Ontario at the nationals.
The Queens open play Wednesday at 2 p.m. (EDT) against Sault Ste. Marie and clash with Mohawk College of Hamilton in the evening draw. On Thursday they clash with Humber College of Etibicoke in the morning and Seneca College of North York in the afternoon.
On Friday they play three games facing NAIT, Fanshawe and MacEwan.
The semifinal and final goes Saturday.
• RDC basketball Kings fifth-year guard Lloyd Strickland made his mark across the country following his brilliant performance in the final of the Canadian Colleges men’s basketball championship in Squamish, B.C.
Strickland did everything in his power to lead the Kings to victory, nailing four long-distance three-point baskets over the final 30 seconds in the Kings 88-86 loss to Langara College of Vancouver. He finished with 34 points.
His unprecedented shooting performance went viral after being on deadspin.com. He also did a live interview on CBC sports.
Strickland, a native of Stirling, was a first-team all-star at the nationals and was named the Boston Pizza RDC athlete of the week.
Basketball Kings were the Breathing Room team of the week.