Nunavut curlers ready for national championships

Jenine Bodner of Iqaluit isn’t fazed easily.

Facing the upcoming Scotties Tournament of Hearts, the annual Canadian women’s curling championships, held this year in Halifax from Feb. 16 to 24, Bodner is more focused on representing her territory than getting caught up in nerves.

For her and Team Nunavut, the goal is “getting there and getting competitive.”

The territory has been represented in the Scotties since 2016. Bodner played in that competition, and made headlines when she threw Team Nunavut’s first rock in the 2016 pre-qualifying games.

Bodner has played for Team Nunavut every year except 2018, when she and her Iqaluit team lost the playdowns (a competition between different Nunavut-based teams to represent the territory in the national tournament).

From that point on, the group of women—Bodner, Jennifer Blaney, Alison Griffon and Megan Ingram—made getting into the 2019 Scotties their goal.

“I’m very excited, super excited [to be back],” Bodner said.

“[We’re] honoured to represent our territory.”

Building Team Nunavut

One of the biggest struggles for this year’s Team Nunavut was finding enough people to join their team.

Curling teams have four players and one alternate. That’s relatively small, compared to some sports, but there are a limited number of professional players in Nunavut.

So Bodner felt lucky when she found Griffin, an experienced curler who had recently moved from P.E.I. to Iqaluit. The women met at Iqaluit’s curling club, where they’re both members.

When the two started to chat with Ingram, another club member, they all became excited about the idea of starting their own team.

But there was a problem: the group couldn’t find a fourth teammate. We were furious, Bodner said.

Eventually, their coach suggested Blaney, an Ontario athlete who could act as an import player (teams are allowed one player from outside their province or territory).

The rest of the group would meet Blaney for the first time when they travelled to Ontario to play together.

Fortunately, despite being almost strangers, there was an “instant click” on the ice between the women.

After they won the playdowns, Sadie Pinksen joined as their alternate from a losing team.

“The little Nunavut team that could”

Nunavut’s curlers face additional challenges than those in the south.

In the south, curlers and curling clubs generally have more resources. Even the ice is different, since curling clubs can afford to have full-time icemakers.

And in the Scotties, southern teams are made up of full-time athletes. Bodner and her teammates have to juggle the sport with their other jobs and commitments.

And the team didn’t have time to fundraise to cover the costs of the tournament. So the team had to be proactive about finding sponsors.

They sought businesses all over Nunavut and the South, and eventually got sponsorships from three businesses and organizations from Nunavut and one from Ontario—Nunavut Brewing Company, Travel Nunavut, the Nunavut Curling Association and Kroon Electric Corporation.

“They were very willing,” says Bodner. “We can’t thank them enough.”

Curling in Nunavut

Bodner hopes that having more people from the North play in the nationals will increase the sport’s exposure in Nunavut.

Right now, people don’t really get exposure unless a friend brings them out, Bodner explains.

That’s how Bodner discovered the sport. She didn’t start curling until someone brought her to a bonspiel (a recreational curling tournament), where she realized she enjoyed playing.

Bodner also says the low number of rinks in the territory limits people’s ability to try the game. She’d also like to see an increase in volunteers and coaches.

For example, there’s a lot of interest on the junior level but not enough people to support them, so they can’t bring in all the junior players, says Bodner.

But even with limited exposure, Bodner feels a lot of support from her territory.

No matter where they go, they always have a cheering section, she says—even if it’s not in person, and instead through Facebook messages.

“We’re very proud to be from here.”

Team Nunavut plays their first game in the Scotties on Feb. 16, against Team Quebec.