Myrla and Kent Holland came home to Carlyle last week with a big reason to celebrate - their daughter had just won the Scotties.
The Hollands' daughter, Amber, skipped Team Saskatchewan to an 8-7 victory over Winnipeg's Jennifer Jones, effectively ending the Manitoba team's reign as Team Canada.
"To be honest, I haven't even thought of [ending her reign,]" says Amber Holland. "I am just working towards letting it sink in that we are Team Canada now."
Team Saskatchewan's strong spirit and determination, combined with skill, talent and exceptional focus led the four women to win the 2011 Scotties Tournament of Hearts held in Charlottetown, P.E.I. Feb. 19 - 27. This is the first time Saskatchewan has won the honour of representing Canada since Sandra Schmirler's rink won the third of her three championships in 1997.
"You feel pretty special to know that you are now in the same company as those four great women," says Holland.
Team Saskatchewan finished the round-robin 9-2, with a slight lead on Team Canada's 8-3. Heading into the playoffs, their strategy was to give the same level of effort they gave throughout the previous 11 games.
"We knew if we could continue to play at the same level in the playoffs, we would have a good shot at winning the event," says Holland. "Confidence doesn't always come from winning - it comes from performing well and that's what we focused on going into the playoffs."
With a 6-3 lead after five ends, Jones appeared to have her fourth-straight championship in the bag. However, Holland scored a pivotal three in the sixth to tie it, bringing Saskatchewan back into the game.
"I was the most nervous all week when Jennifer [Jones] was in the hack for that [last] shot," Holland recalls. "Even though you force her to make the last - I knew that she probably would make it. As her rock hit our stone in the top twelve, I thought she had made it, but then the rock was coming across the house and Kim [Schneider] was yelling at me to 'Sweep!' Once I was sweeping the rock - I literally said out loud 'Oh My God.' When I turned around and saw Kim jumping, I just wanted to give her a hug. So many feeling and thoughts happening all at once, it is hard to describe."
Along with the right to wear the maple leaf at the Capital One Women's World Curling Championships in Esjberg, Denmark from March 18th to 27th, and at the 2012 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Red Deer, Alta., the women earned automatic spots in the 2012 Continental Cup and in the $150,000 Canada Cup of Curling in December.
The win means Holland's team is eligible for $144,000 of Sport Canada funding over a two-year period, in addition to $40,000 from the Canadian Curling Association's National Team Program to cover training and competition costs. Team Canada is paid another $10,000 to wear the crest of Scotties Sponsor Kruger at the world championship.
The win also contributes to the team's overall position in the Canadian Curling Association's Canadian Team Ranking System, which determines who qualifies for the Olympic trials in 2013.
But all of this is far from the women's minds, as they prepare for world championship in Denmark.
"We [went] back on the ice Sunday [March 6] and will try to prepare the same way as we did for the Scotties - keep loose on the ice, focus on our communication on and off the ice, meet with our mental trainer, finalize nutrition plans and schedules for at the event, and make sure [our] lives are in order back here at home when we leave."
Holland has worked hard throughout her entire curling career to make it to where she is now, and it's something in which she takes great pride. But she admits, she never would have made it this far if she didn't love the game she plays.
"Play the sport because you enjoy it and you want to do well at it, not because you want to win," says Holland, offering advice to junior curlers. "The winning will come with hard work and dedication, but the enjoyment can only come from yourself and those people you surround yourself in the sport with!"
Holland's first success at the national level came in 1992, when she skipped her Saskatchewan team to a national championship at the Canadian Junior Curling Championships. She and her rink represented Canada the following year at the World Junior Curling Championship, where they captured a silver medal.
Her team went 6-5 at the Scotties last year in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. It was the team's first appearance at the Scotties.
In the years between her national championships, she says the desire to always improve, along with the great people she's met throughout Canada, encouraged her to continue competing in a sport she truly loves.
Holland was born in Yorkton, but her parents now reside in Carlyle. She says she's grateful for the support her entire family has received from the community.
"Firstly - thank you to everyone in Carlyle for welcoming my mom and dad into your community a few years ago. They truly love living there and that has to be because of the people," says Holland. "Secondly - thank you for cheering [for] and supporting the team. We take all the positive energy and support with us when we go!"
