Canada Games

Curl PEI – 2023 Canada Winter Games

The 2023 Canada Games will be held in Prince Edward Island February 18-March 5, 2023.  The 2023 Canada Games will include four-person men’s and women’s events as well as, for the first time, a mixed doubles event.

Curl PEI is responsible for managing a process to select the curling representatives to join Team PEI.  Curl PEI will be selecting one men’s team, one women’s team and one mixed doubles team.

The selection process will be overseen by the CurlPEI Performance Committee.

Athlete Eligibility

Male and female teams must be made up of four (4) players under 19 years of age as of June 30, 2022 (date of birth: July 1, 2003 or later).

Mixed doubles teams must be made up of two (2) players under 21 years of age as of June 30, 2022 (date of birth: July 1, 2001 or later).

Note: The winning athletes on the men’s four-person team cannot compete in the mixed doubles at the 2023 Canada Games because of a schedule overlap.  A female athlete can compete in both the women’s team event and the mixed doubles event, if she qualifies for both.

There are no alternate players allowed for either the four-person teams or the mixed doubles teams.  A pool of age eligible spares from the local community will be available.

All athletes must meet the eligibility regulations outlined in CGC’s Eligibility Policy.

Excluded from the Canada Games are:

    • Senior National Team Members – Defined as: Athletes who have held an SR, SR1, SR2 or C1  card at any time; and/or athletes who are part of (on the roster of) a standing Senior National  Team (i.e. recognized as a Senior National Team member regardless of event participation)
    • Athletes who have previously competed at the following events:
        • World Men’s or World Women’s Curling Championships
        • World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships
        • Olympic Games

No athlete can be rendered ineligible within 90 days of the opening of the Games due to National  Team status, carding status or competing in an excluded event (i.e., if an athlete is granted National  Team status for the first time, carding status or competes in an excluded event after November 20, 2022 they will still be considered eligible to compete at the 2023 Canada Games).

* Athletes who hold a C1 card (as defined by Sport Canada’s Athlete Assistance program) or are in their first year of Senior National Team status may be deemed eligible on a case by case basis.  Requests must be submitted to the respective P/T Team Chef de Mission and approved by the Canada Games Council’s Eligibility Committee.

Team Development

Male & Female Teams

            All Eligible Teams

All interested, eligible teams should be practicing and playing in stage appropriate leagues and events.  Coaches should be creating yearly training plans that includes various training components, on ice as well as off, and participation in spiels.

Curl PEI will work to provide opportunities for interested, eligible teams.  Opportunities may include: off-season strength and conditioning training, mental training, nutrition education, goal setting sessions, on-ice skill development and strategy discussions.  Interested and eligible teams will be encouraged to participate in these opportunities however, they will not be mandatory.  There will be a cost to the team.

            Training Teams

The two male and two female teams that advance from the event in February 2022 as the Curl PEI Canada Games Training Teams will be expected to participate in a development program from February 2022 until the final event in November 2022.  The development program may include: off-season strength and conditioning training, mental training, nutrition education, goal setting sessions, on-ice skill development and strategy discussions.  Details on the development program and the estimated cost to the team will be provided prior to the registration deadline of the February 2022 qualifying event.

Mixed Doubles Team

All Eligible Teams

Curl PEI will be creating a development program for interested and eligible teams.  More details to follow.

Team PEI

Once named Team PEI, following the December 2022 event there will continue to be expectations of the mixed doubles team.  More details to follow.

Team Selection

Teams will be selected through an open qualifying process.  A team based selection process will be used, where all teams are formed on their own initiative and without input from Curl PEI.

Two men’s teams and two women’s teams will become the Curl PEI Canada Games Training Teams during an event to be held in February 2022.  These two teams will compete in a final event in November 2022 to determine the PEI representative.

The mixed doubles team will be determined at one, open, event that will be held late-November/early-December.

 Coach Selection

The men’s team and the women’s team will select their own coach.  The coach’s gender is not restricted by the team’s gender.  Coaches must be at least 21 years of age.

Curl PEI will name a coach for the mixed doubles team.  This coach will join the team that wins the right to represent PEI.

Coach Requirements

At the 2023 Canada Games curling coaches must be Curling Canada NCCP Competition-Development In-Training (Competition Coach certified + completion of “Manage a Program” and “Health and Wellness” Curling Canada modules).

Coaches must be certified so no later than 45 days prior to the Opening Ceremony (January 4, 2023).

Please refer to the CGC’s Coach Certification Policy for additional information.

About the 2023 Canada Games

Week 1 (Feb. 18-25, 2023) – Female Curling at the Silver Fox Curling Club

Week 2 (Feb. 27-Mar. 5, 2023) – Male Curling at the Silver Fox Curling Club

Week 2 (Feb. 27-Mar. 5, 2023) – Mixed Doubles Curling at the Montague Curling Club

The schedules will overlap in the second week so males will not be able to participate in both the 4-person and mixed doubles.  A female athlete can compete in both the 4-person and mixed doubles event if she qualifies for both events.

Athletes and coaches will stay in athlete’s village (UPEI) in Charlottetown and be bussed to the venues.  Formats and schedules have not yet been determined.

For more information about the 2023 Canada Games visit: https://www.2023canadagames.ca/.

About the Canada Games

Held once every two years, alternating between winter and summer, the Canada Games represent the highest level of national competition for up and coming Canadian athletes.

The Games have been hosted in every province at least once since their inception in Quebec City during Canada’s Centennial in 1967, and feature events for able-bodied athletes as well as athletes with physical and intellectual disabilities.

The Games are proud of their contribution to Canada’s sport development system in addition to their lasting legacy of sport facilities, community pride and national unity.

Further Information

Please see the documents listed below for information related to the 2023 Canada Games Technical Packages. The Technical Packages can also be found on the Canada Games Council website https://www.canadagames.ca/sports

Questions can be directed to the Curl PEI executive director, Amy Duncan at [email protected] or 902-368-4208.