Pages

Friday, April 23, 2010

Jenny's Rink Will Look A Little Different Next Year


From: The National Post

One of curling's most successful back-end partnerships is coming to an end.

Winnipeg's Jennifer Jones and Cathy Overton-Clapham have parted ways after six years together, a run that produced four Scotties Tournament of Hearts championships, including the past three in succession, a world title and five Grand Slam victories.

The team, rounded out by second Jill Officer and lead Dawn Askin, made the announcement official with a news release late Thursday.

"Our goal is to represent Canada at the world women's curling championship and the Olympics," said Jones in the release. "To do that, we need to take steps now to ensure we will have a complete set of skills and strengths come 2014.

"Cathy is one the top thirds in Canada and has been a huge component of the team's success. More importantly, she is passionate about the game. We have been fortunate to count her as a team member and friend. This will be an emotional time for all of us, but we will always have the benefit of what we have learned from Cathy over the years."

The move, however, came as a surprise to Overton-Clapham, who was summoned to a team meeting on Wednesday and informed by Jones that her services were no longer required.

"I had absolutely no idea. When we were talking, I wasn't really even listening because I was blown away," Overton-Clapham told the Winnipeg Free Press. "But then they sent me an e-mail later saying they were looking for someone with more energy, more excitement, more vision."

Overton-Clapham said she attended the team meeting Wednesday thinking her teammates were going to discuss the team's schedule for the upcoming season.

"I was thinking people were going to say they wanted a lighter schedule, maybe have some babies. And instead they told me I was gone... That's why I was so surprised. And now I'm wondering: How long has this been going on?"

It's expected that Jones, Officer and Askin will name a new player for Overton-Clapham soon, but according to sources, the highly speculated move of Canadian junior women's champ Rachel Homan from her home in Ottawa to take up a position on the new-look Jones team is extremely unlikely.

The move, made by the team as a whole, will take many by surprise considering the team was coming off another Canadian title and a bronze medal at the Ford world championship in Swift Current, Sask.

As well, Overton-Clapham was the all-star third at the 2010 Scotties in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., and also led all thirds in shooting percentage at both the Scotties and the world championship.

But the timing makes sense; many teams will make similar moves in the coming weeks and months in order to put together what they consider the ideal lineup to take a run at the 2013 Olympic Trials.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pretty bush if you ask me!

I was never a big fan of the Jones rink, and fialing to win the Olympics contributed to her detractors.

Anonymous said...

Hehehehehe. You wrote "back-end partnership". Thanks, just had to get that off my chest.

CURT GORMLEY said...

We in Nova Scotia were good supports of the Jones rink from Manitoba however noticed that Jennifer's game calling and shooting was going down hill the past two years and mistakes by the opposing kept her in the game.Cathy on the other hand was the one who pulled the team out of lots of problems and it showed every year on her selection as an ALLSTAR Third. Also kind of bush league when the Canada team allstar third will not be able to play in the Lassie next year with her team that she earned the right.At the Lassie in PEI next year there will be a lot of BOO'S instead of cheers when the Jennifer Jones rink hits the ice.A lot of us loved Cathy and wish her all the best knowing that she found out who her real friends are. JENNIFER YOUR ARE A CLASS ACT.

Anonymous said...

Jones is the one that had to go.

Anonymous said...

Jones wants to be an Olympian in 2014. By that time Cathy will be close to 50. They had to get younger at that position and they have. I'm sure it was a tough move to make, but to Jennifer, Jill and Dawn, it was one that had to be done. Kaitlyn Lawes will never be like Cathy O, but the drop-off isn't that huge.

Paul