Horns curling focusing on team mentality

By Lethbridge Herald on October 13, 2023.

Team Wild Card 2 skip Casey Scheidegger delivers a rock while playing Team Wild Card 3 at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, in Kamloops, B.C., on Saturday, February 18, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

After a two- year hiatus from competition, the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns curling team has been picked and are well into preparation ahead of the season opening in January.

Head coach Casey Scheidegger thinks it’s important now for players to get game experience.

“So the curling club was actually awesome and they opened up the Thursday night men’s league to a couple of open teams as well,” said Scheidegger.

“So we have two teams, the men’s team and the ladies team, that are actually able to play in that league, which is awesome, because game experience and playing together is a big thing. And then they also played in a bonspiel in Lethbridge, … the opening bonspiel that happened a couple weekends ago. So that was nice and then we’re just looking for a couple more events that are little more of local so we can reduce cost for travel and just give them some more game experience.”

Scheidegger will start focusing more on the technical side.

“So try and give them some feedback on that, so we can just be a little sharper and make more shots,” said Scheidegger.

“And then a little further into the season, working on some team dynamics and communication to help make shots as well. Because that’s a big part of curling is being able to communicate as the rock’s travelling down the ice.”

She feels at any level team chemistry will be a big part of team success.

“So being able to communicate with your teammates and make shots together,” she said.

“I think that’s a really big part of it. So that’ll be definitely a focus for us.”

Try-outs were held in September.

Shannon Kleibrink helped Scheidegger with try outs.

“We had 10 athletes come out to the try outs and then we had a couple more join since then,” said Scheidegger.

“And so we can only take five of each team and once some of the athletes found out about the commitments and things like that, some of them weren’t able to play anymore. So we do have two teams of five it looks like which is pretty exciting.”

Scheidegger said there was some great young talent in Lethbridge and attending university.

“Especially on the girls side,” said Scheidegger.

“We have some players that have some experience (and) quite a bit of experience in youth curling and things like that. So it was definitely good to see.”

Scheidegger was hoping to see more curlers out at try outs.

“But maybe after this year, we’ll spread the word even more and we’ll have a bigger attendance next season which is good as well,” she said.

She says everybody seems to be  really excited.

“I will say that they are all great kids,” she said.

“They’re very energetic, they’re excited they’re really positive and they’re  really respectful and kind to each other and towards me, which is always  nice. They seem excited and very thrilled to be  part of the program.”