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P.E.I.’s Katie Shaw representing Canada at world junior curling chships (Saltwire)

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(by Jason Simmonds)

Katie Shaw’s commitment to the sport of curling has resulted in an opportunity of a lifetime – the chance to represent Canada internationally.

Shaw plays the lead position for Northern Ontario’s Isabelle Ladouceur rink, which won the recent New Holland world juniors qualifying event in Saskatoon, Sask. That competition determined Canada’s representative at the 2022 world junior curling championships in Jönköping, Sweden, from March 5 to 12.“It still hasn’t fully sunk in, but we are buzzing about it,” Shaw told the SaltWire Network in a phone interview. “It’s kind of unreal to think we will have our own Team Canada jackets that will say our names on it and have the Maple Leaf.
Stratford, P.E.I.'s Katie Shaw follows a shot during the recent New Holland world juniors qualifying event in Saskatoon, Sask. Shaw plays lead for Northern Ontario’s Isabelle Ladouceur rink, which won the right to represent Canada at the 2022 world junior curling championships in Jönköping, Sweden, from March 5 to 12. Curling Canada/Darlene Danyliw
Stratford, P.E.I.’s Katie Shaw follows a shot during the recent New Holland world juniors qualifying event in Saskatoon, Sask. Shaw plays lead for Northern Ontario’s Isabelle Ladouceur rink, which won the right to represent Canada at the 2022 world junior curling championships in Jönköping, Sweden, from March 5 to 12. Curling Canada/Darlene Danyliw – Contributed
 
“It’s a dream come true and is what every junior curler in Canada wants to do someday. It really feels like it’s everything we’ve been working towards our whole careers.”The 19-year-old daughter of Susan Dowling-Shaw and Murray Shaw of Stratford, P.E.I., described the world junior qualifying event as similar to a Canadian junior championship.

Team Ladouceur went 6-1 (won-lost), including a 7-6 victory over Elysa Crough from Edmonton, Alta., in the final.

Although it was not an official national title, the victory carried significance for the Prince Edward Islander.

“Some of the girls have won U18 nationals before, but I have never won anything, so I’m pretty excited about it,” said Shaw.

Team Ladouceur, which includes third stone Jamie Smith, second Lauren Rajala, fifth Katy Lukowich and coach Steve Acorn, curls out of Greater Sudbury, Ont. Shaw is in her second year curling with Ladouceur, whose family resides in Bedford, N.S.

Joined forces

Ladouceur, who attends Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ont., curled in Nova Scotia during the 2020-21 season because the COVID-19 situation in the Maritimes was better than Ontario’s. The team needed to add another player and was looking for someone willing to relocate to Nova Scotia.

Ladouceur knew Shaw because the two played against each other multiple times growing up in the Maritimes. Ladouceur’s teammates knew Shaw from previous national championships.

“We reached out to her, and it was a bit of a miscommunication based on we thought she was first-year university and actually she was in high school,” said Ladouceur. “We were like, ‘Oh no, we don’t want to make someone move in high school to Nova Scotia.’

“But Katie was so gung-ho, was ready to work hard, be a committed player and moved high schools to curl with us. Honestly, that showed her commitment and passion for the sport. Based on that, I knew I wanted to play with her the next year.”

Click to read the full story at Saltwire Media: https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/sports/peis-katie-shaw-representing-canada-at-world-junior-curling-championships-100675254/

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