(CCA) PERTH, Scotland – The World Curling Federation (WCF) announces that Sandra Schmirler, the legendary Canadian women’s skip who died of cancer in the year 2000, is the posthumous winner of the 2009 World Curling Freytag Award.
The award will be presented to Schmirler’s widower, Shannon England, and their children, Sara and Jenna, during the opening weekend of April’s 2009 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship in Moncton, the official 50th anniversary celebration of the world men’s curling championship.
The award is a tribute to the late Elmer Freytag, an American founder of the International Curling Federation (now WCF). It honours curlers for world championship-level playing ability, sportsmanship, character and the achievement of extraordinary distinction; and/or builders, individuals who are honoured for distinguished service and major contributions to the development and advancement of international curling.
“Sara, Jenna and myself will be honoured to represent Sandra in receiving this award at the Ford World Men’s Championship,” said England.
“Time marches on but Sandra’s zest for life continues to live on within us, each and every day.”
Schmirler led her Saskatchewan teammates (Jan Betker, Joan McCusker and Marcia Gudereit) to three world championships in 1993, 1994 and 1997 and to the first official Olympic gold medal championship at Nagano, Japan in 1998. Her death, just two years following the Olympic triumph, stunned the curling world and her funeral was televised live on two Canadian networks.
“The legacy of the World Curling Freytag Award has just increased with the addition of the Schmirler name,” said Les Harrison, president of the World Curling Federation and a longtime Moncton resident.
“It will be quite a thrill to see her family accept this award in Moncton.”
Today, the Sandra Schmirler Foundation is in its eighth year of “caring for babies in crisis” through direct giving to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) facilities across Canada. The Foundation recognizes in these premature infants the same will to live that fuelled Schmirler’s spirited battle with cancer, and also recognizes that “champions start small.”
“Sandra Schmirler was much more than a decorated athlete,” said Greg Stremlaw, Chief Executive Officer of the CCA. “She was a supermom, and her inclusion among previous Freytag winners continues a lifetime of recognition for her family, friends and her legion of curling fans.
“The CCA would like to thank the WCF for accepting the nomination, and also Kruger Products Limited and Sandra’s family and friends for all their work involved with the Sandra Schmirler Foundation.”
Schmirler is the ninth Canadian to receive the Award, now in its 30th year. The first winner was Winnipeg’s Ken Watson in 1978, and the legendary men’s skip from Saskatchewan, Ernie Richardson, was the last Canadian recipient in the Curler (competitor) category, in 2000.
The 2009 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship in Moncton (April 4-12) will celebrate the 50 years of men’s world championship curling, with a host of special events marking it a must-see on the event calendar.
The championship also marks the final qualifying opportunity for Member Associations of the WCF to gain points to qualify their countries for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.
Member Associations which have qualified for Moncton are Canada, Scotland, China, Norway, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, France, Czech Republic and Finland.
Brazil will challenge the United States in a qualifying competition at the end of January to declare the 12th and final team.
Links for additional information:
2009 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship
www.seasonofchampions.ca
Sandra Schmirler Foundation
www.sandraschmirler.org
World Curling Federation
www.worldcurling.org
Coaching and Fairplay awards were handed out during the closing ceremonies of the Pepsi Provincial Junior Curling Championships, which wrapped up this afternoon at the Charlottetown Curling Club.
The recipients of the Asham Coaching Award, as voted on by the coaches at the event, are Kathy O’Rourke, coach of the Katie Sharkey rink from Charlottetown, and Roger Gavin, coach of the Spencer Pitre foursome from the Western Community Curling Club in Alberton.
The Fairplay awards, as voted on by the curlers, went to Sam Ramsay, skip of the junior men’s runner-up team from the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club, and Christina Hennessey, second on the Sarah Clow rink from the Cornwall Curling Club.
It’s the third PEI Junior title in a row for the Erin Carmody rink from the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club in Summerside. Wednesday afternoon at the Charlottetown Curling Club, they scored three points in the final end for an 8-5 win over the Anita Casey foursome, also from the Silver Fox, to capture the Pepsi Provincial Junior Women’s championship.
Casey opened the scoring in the game, taking a single in the first with hammer, and stealing another point in the second. Carmody got on the board with a deuce in the third end to tie the score at two, and moved ahead when she followed a Casey single with a pair to lead 4-3 at the half. The two teams traded singles in ends six and eight, and Casey tied the game in the ninth, giving last rock advantage to Carmody coming home. Carmody recorded a triple in the final end to take the championship.
Photo Right to Left: Erin Carmody, Geri-Lynn Ramsay, Jessica van Ouwerkerk, Darcee Birch
Geri-Lynn Ramsay, Jessica van Ouwerkerk and Darcee Birch, along with coach Al Ledgerwood, round out the Carmody squad, who will now advance to the M&M Canadian Juniors, January 31st to February 8th in Salmon Arm BC. Other members of the runner-up Anita Casey foursome are Madeline Campbell, Dannielle Chiasson, and Bethany MacDonald with coach Leo Stewart.
Photo Left to Right: Brett Gallant, Adam Casey, Anson Carmody, Jamie Danbrook, coach Peter Gallant
The Carmody rink will be joined in BC by the Charlottetown Curling Club rink of Brett Gallant, Adam Casey, Anson Carmody and Jamie Danbrook, who doubled Summerside’s Sam Ramsay foursome 6-3 Wednesday to capture their fourth straight provincial junior men’s title. Danbrook, a member of last year’s British Columbia junior championship rink, who is attending school on PEI, replaced Alex MacFadyen this year. MacFadyen is attending school in Nova Scotia, and is a member of the Paul Dexter rink, who won the Nova Scotia junior title yesterday. The Gallant rink is coached by Brett’s parents, Peter and Kathie Gallant.
Other members of the runner-up Ramsay rink from the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club are Justin Richard, Eric Pidgeon, and Corey Miller, with coach Peter Pidgeon.
The Charlottetown Curling Club rink of Brett Gallant, Adam Casey, Anson Carmody and Jamie Danbrook doubled Summerside’s Sam Ramsay foursome 6-3 on Wednesday morning to capture their fourth straight provincial juniors title. Danbrook, a member of last year’s British Columbia junior championship rink, who is attending school on PEI, replaced Alex MacFadyen this year. MacFadyen is attending school in Nova Scotia, and is a member of the Paul Dexter rink, who won the Nova Scotia junior title yesterday. The Gallant rink is coached by Brett’s parents, Peter and Kathie Gallant. Other members of the runner-up Ramsay rink from the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club are Justin Richard, Eric Pidgeon, and Corey Miller, with coach Peter Pidgeon. Gallant won the B and C finals in the triple-knockout competition, while Ramsay took the A division. By winning two of the three sections, Gallant needed to win only one of the two championships games on Wednesday, and got the job done the first game, and will now compete in the M&M Canadian Juniors, January 31-February 8th in Salmon Arm BC.In today’s game, Ramsay lead 2-1 after four ends. Gallant took a double in the fifth, and stole a single in the sixth to grab a 4-2 lead. They stole another pair in the eighth. Ramsay picked up only one in the ninth, and the game ended at 6-3.
Meanwhile, there will be a deciding game between the Erin Carmody and Anita Casey rinks at 2:30 pm in the junior women’s section. In this morning’s game, the Casey beat Silver Fox clubmate and two-time defending champion Carmody by a 7-4 score to force the afternoon contest. Like Gallant, Carmody had won two of the three sections in the triple-knockout round, and a win this morning would have given her a third-straight title. This morning’s game was tied at two-all at half-time. Casey grabbed a pair in the sixth, and the teams traded singles until the tenth end, when Casey took another deuce, for the win.
Playing with Carmody are Geri-Lynn Ramsay, Jessica van Ouwerkerk, and Darcee Birch, with coach Al Ledgerwood. Madeline Campbell, Dannielle Chiasson, and Bethany MacDonald, coached by Leo Stewart, round out the Casey foursome.
The PEI Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is putting out the call for nominations for induction in 2009.
The Hall, which celebrates the history of Island sporting excellence, will be looking to induct four individuals or teams who have enjoyed outstanding careers at the local, national or international level. Individuals may be either athletes or builders, and the criteria states that they must have been born in Prince Edward Island or have been a resident for a minimum of four years.
Athletes must have been retired from their sport for a minimum or five years or be deemed to be five years past their athletic prime. Builders may still be active in their sport but must have been involved at the highest levels for a minimum of 10 years.
“Induction to the Hall represents the peak of sporting endeavour on Prince Edward Island,” said spokesperson Nick Murray, who will be coordinating the nominations before they are passed on to the board of directors for review and selection.
“It is a competitive process, and the board takes its role seriously when it comes to who makes it in. It is a badge of honour, to be worn with distinction throughout an inductee’s life.
“To be referred to as a Hall of Famer, recognized by your own province, is something that is the ultimate achievement for many of our athletes and builders.”
Nomination forms are available by calling Murray at 368-4547, and the nomination file should include comprehensive details of the athletic career accompanied, if possible, by photographs, press clippings and letters of support.
Completed nomination packages should be sent to Nick Murray, Sport PEI, Box 302, Charlottetown, C1A 7K7. Deadline is Monday, Feb. 2.
Here is a list of PEI curlers in the Sports Hall of Fame:
» 1970-71 Canadian Senior Men’s Curling Champions
» 2001 Suzanne Gaudet Curling Rink
» Bill Jenkins Rink: 1977 World Junior Champions
» Bob Dillon
» Doug Cameron
» Dr. Wendell Macdonald
» Elizabeth Macdonald
» George Dillon
» Jerry Muzika
» John Squarebriggs
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