Airdrie curling coach Blair Lenton and Team Plett, comprised of curlers from Carstairs and the Edmonton area, will be heading to the World U-21 championships in Finland next winter, after going undefeated at the U-20 nationals in Rouny-Noranda, Quebec March 26 to April 2.
The team is comprised of skip Myla Plett, third Alyssa Nedohin, second Chloe Fediuk and lead Allie Iskiw, and coached by Lenton and David Nedohin.
“Like we've previously said, this one was kind of our bonus [bonspiel] that we even qualified for,” Lenton said. “We were just trying to head out here and do our best.
“It was interesting partway through the week, I said, 'Where did you think we'd be at this period? We were six games in. They said, 'Well, we thought maybe even like 3-3 or 4-2 and fighting for a playoff spot, just because we didn't know what the competition would be like or how we'd play. Then all of a sudden, we're 6-0 and it was starting to sink in that we had a shot of doing this. We did what we normally do and [pulled it off].”
Team Plett defeated Newfoundland & Labrador in the finals by a 10-4 score. The Alberta representatives took three in the first and three in the fourth en route to the historic win – according to Curling Canada, the Plett team's accomplishment marks the first time the same team has captured a New Holland Canadian Junior Women’s Curling Championship as well as the Canadian Under-18 Girls Curling Championship in the same season.
“It's the first time it's ever happened," Lenton said, adding the win also brought the Alberta total to the same number as Saskatchewan.
“It was certainly great to be there. We were honoured to be there. The hospitality was phenomenal and the ice conditions were great. We couldn't have asked for better playing conditions and that helped us perform at our best. The girls are super excited about being Team Canada – we didn't think it would happen this soon, but we'll take it, run with it, and try to represent our country well to see what else it brings us next year."
Prior to the final on April 2, Team Plett defeated Saskatchewan 11-6, Quebec 10-4, the other Alberta team 7-6, British Columbia 10-6, Yukon 12-4, Northern Ontario 14-5, Nova Scotia 12-6, Manitoba 9-7 and Ontario 11-3.
“We had a couple really close games but we were playing strong all week,” Plett told Great West Media. “Our team played fantastic the whole event. Allie, Alyssa, and Chloe trained so hard to get there and I am so proud of them.
“We all just got off that plane ready to bring all we had and leave our hearts on the ice. We had a dream to one day make it here, and here we are.”
She said a highlight of the tourney was “going to the arena to cheer on all our friends and our province with cowbells and make new friends across the entire country.”
The win at the U-20s in Quebec came only weeks after the Plett team took silver at the Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island. Two weeks before that, the same team won the U-18 national championships – for the second straight year.
As a result of their accomplishment, Team Plett will compete at a U-21 world junior qualifying tournament in Finland December. The ensuing worlds bonspiel will be back in Finland in February 2024.
As for getting ready for the upcoming U-21 Worlds, Plett said, “We will start off ice training soon and then start practising when we can get ice.”
The Carstairs athlete thanked the team’s “amazing” coaches and all the fans who have cheered the team on this season.
“The people of Alberta sure love curling and we are so lucky to be playing in this province,” she said. “We hope to make you all proud as we represent Alberta - and now Canada!”
—With files from Scott Strasser/Airdrie City View
