And while that’s still technically the case this time around, there are a whole lot of caveats to the whole thing.
Curl Sask has designated tournament as a trial event to test out the new COVID-19 restrictions and rules, offering teams a chance to familiarize themselves with how things will work before getting into serious competition.
Moose Jaw’s Skylar Ackerman and her rink of third Emily Haupstein, second Taylor Stremick and lead Abbey Johnson are one of the teams in action this weekend, taking the ice in the first draw of the season against Regina’s Sherrilee Orsted, who includes Moose Jaw’s Candace Newkirk at third.
Things went as well as they could for one of the pre-season junior provincial championship favourites, as they rolled to an 8-1 victory.
“We just got off the ice and had our first win of the season, so that’s good,” Ackerman said shortly after the contest. “The Sutherland Curling Club here has done a good job making sure we’re all safe and everything and Curl Sask has put in some good protocols to let us play the game while staying safe, it went really well.”
The event is be played using the Curling Canada COVID-19 guidelines which include one sweeper, no skip sweeping and designated places for players to stand between shots to minimize potential contact as a few of the changes.
“They’re just kind of feeling things out and seeing how the flow the game goes and everything like that,” Ackerman said. “If it all works, then they’ll see what they have to change for the next few event, if anything.”
It’s naturally taken a bit of getting used to.
“There were a few times where someone would be standing in the wrong spot and it would be like ‘oh, no, you have to be right there’,” Ackerman said. “But once we’ve played a few games we’ll get the hang of it… it’s different but it’s good to be back out on the ice for sure.”
Moose Jaw product Amber Holland and her Regina foursome were in action later in the day against Regina’s Ashley Howard, while Saskatoon Nutana’s Hanna Anderson -- with Moose Jaw’s Madison Johnson at second -- took a 6-5 win over provincial curling legend Sherry Anderson in the first draw.
The round-robin tournament continues through Sunday afternoon.
For Ackerman and crew, it’s the start of what they hope will be an impressive campaign, even if it all ends up happening in-province after Curling Canada cancelled the junior nationals earlier this fall.
“We’re still hoping for junior provincials, Curl Sask hasn’t given too much information on that yet but we’re hoping there will still be a provincial tournament we can compete in and hopefully win,” said Ackerman, who also plans to take the ice in the Viterra Scotties provincial women’s championship.
“It’s definitely a lot different with mindsets and stuff like that, but we’re just happy to be playing.’
