After a refreshing offseason, Team Recksiedler is back with a new line-up, a new sponsor and a new name (a couple new names for that matter, after one of the players got hitched in the off-season). For those of you paying attenion, the line up change actually took place earlier this calendar year, as the team made a switch in time for their Back Door appearance in Victoria last January. Kirsten Fox was put in charge of the T-head with Kristen Recksiedler continuing to throw the brick. Says Kristen of the change: “I decided that I would prefer to focus more on my last shot execution and so turned to Kirsten to call the game”. The line-up change was obviously a good move for the squad as they went undefeated in the Back Door to qualify for the provincials. After a solid performance at the BC Scotties, the new line-up is here to stay.
With Kirsten Fox officially filling the role of skip, the team will now be known going forward as Team Fox. As if reporters weren’t confused enough before, they will have to pay extra special attention this year to who is doing what. And to make matters more interesting, this author will dispel rumours right now that Julie Provost was replaced on the team at lead. It’s the same loud mouthed, curly haired girl throwing lead rocks for the team but she now goes by Julie Herndier as she married Kevin Herndier in May. And just so our adorable and awesome second doesn’t get a complex, it should be noted that Trysta Vandale will be holding steady as the sweeping and peeling dominator at second.
The girls were disappointed to hear that the Abbostford Cash was being postponed in the ‘09/’10 season until they found out that they’d get to interact with Wayden Transportation in a team sponsorship capacity. Team Fox is thrilled to share that Wayden Transportation is the new title sponsor for the team! What a thrill to have that kind of support & encouragement from fellows who really love and appreciate the game. Team Fox is also pleased to learn that several of their silver level sponsors coming back to support this season as well, including Ken & Jane Ambrose of Remax.
The girls will be competing in a few local cashpiels, Cloverdale Cash & Twin Anchors Vernon Cash, before venturing out of province to Medicine Hat & Red Deer (with a quick stop in Kamloops in between). They will strive to qualify for the Scotties Provincials through the playdowns in Parksville or the Back Door in Royal City, with an eye towards a red heart.
Feel free to check back often on the progress of the girls as they embark on a new season!
After a few false starts on the Cash Spiel circuit, Team Recksiedler makes the best of a strong start and wins the first annual Fraser Downs Racetrack & Casino Ladies Classic in Cloverdale, B.C. Kristen, Kirsten, Trysta & Julie won their first four round robin games, defeating Cory McLaughlin, Georgina Wheatcroft, Colleen Hannah and home club favourites, Leanne Andrews before falling to Patti Knezevic in their fifth game. After finishing the round robin with a record of 4-1 - Recksiedler qualified for the Skins Game against Kathy Smiley on Monday afternoon and for the championship round on Tuesday - advancing to the Semi Finals.
With both teams treading cautiously in the unfamiliar Skins format, the first three skins were ‘carry overs’. Recksiedler managed to secure two points in the fourth end to win the elusive skin worth $250. She went on to steal a point in the fifth for yet another skin which would ensure the victory ($350). Smiley was not to go home empty handed however as she made a spectacular shot in the 6th to force a carry over and draw off. In a dramatic finish, Recksiedler drew her stone within inches of the pin but was still outdrawn by Kathy Smiley who nearly covered the pin with her final stone - winning a respectable $150.
In the championship round the Recksiedler team stormed into the semi final against Georgina Wheatcroft by taking 2 in the first end, forcing Georgina to her only point of the game in the second and then scoring a resounding 7 points in the 3rd. Wheatcroft, a member of the organizing committee and a driving force behind the inception of the Fraser Downs Racetrack & Casino Ladies Classic, graciously conceded the game and finished 3rd/4th.
Recksiedler went on to face Colleen Hannah in the final. After a close first five ends, Recksiedler broke the game open with a steal in the 6th and went on to win with an 8-4 victory.
Kristen and her teammates will be competing in Abbotsford this weekend at the Wayden Transportation Women’s Grand Slam, starting with their first game on Friday, November 14, at 2:30 pm.
We emerged from the BC Scotties in Trail (Provincials) with a bronze medal (3rd place). Our game by game results are below. Detailed results can be found by clicking here.
Jan 23-GAME 1 vs Groundwater (Williams Lake): 9-4 Win. A draw against 4 close opposition counters in the 5th to limit the steal to 1 might have just saved the game. Record: 1-0 –> 4-way tie for 1st
Jan 23-GAME 2 vs Jenkins (Vernon): 8-6 Win. A close well -played game that we controlled from the outset: Record: 2-0 –> 3-way tie for 1st
Jan 24-GAME 3 vs Winters (Nelson): 6-4 Win. Great patience! A 3-spot in the 6th got us control and a steal of 1 in the 9th cemented the victory. Record: 3-0 –> 3-way tie for 1st
Jan 24-GAME 4 vs Reed (New Westminster): 8-4 Win. Again, a patient game with few chances to score but finally a deuce in the 7th and good defense to close it out. Record: 4-0 –> 2-way tie for 1st
Jan 25-GAME 5 vs MacInnes (Kelowna): 8-1 Loss. We never got the feel of a very tricky sheet - ‘nough said! Record: 4-1 –> 2-way tie for 2nd
Jan 25-GAME 6 vs Mallett (New Westminster): 5-4 Win (extra end). A great draw in the 6th through a port to the button to save the point. A clean 11th; we didn’t need out last rock. Record: 5-1 –> a 3-way tie for 1st
Jan 26-GAME 7 vs Maskiewich (New Westminster): 8-5 Loss (extra end). A well played game! Maskiewich needed to pick out a Recksiedler freeze on her last in the extra end - she did. Record: 5-2 — third place; on to the Semi-Final.
Jan 26 - Semi Final vs MacInnes (Kamloops): 6-4 loss. It was a well-played game but congrats to Allison MacInnes who came up big when she needed to. Good luck to her and her team at the Nationals as she beat Team Maskiewich in the finals and will represent BC at the Scotties in Regina.
We can’t wait for next year and are already preparing to get better.
It’s a story of commitment, skill and effort. It began in juvenile and junior curling, as four young women took separate paths in different parts of British Columbia, each achieving excellence at the provincial level. The latest chapter shows that a new team has come onto the scene, one dedicated to excellence and utilizing a year round training program. The team has two coaches: a former world and Olympic champion who is now a curling analyst; and a top curler in men’s and senior men’s play. The four curlers are working with the sport’s top Performance Enhancement Team members in the areas of sport psychology and strength and conditioning. They know what it takes to be successful and their work ethic is second to none.
The Cast:
Kristen Recksiedler has now skipped for two years in women’s play, reaching the provincials in 2006.
Kirsten Fox participated in the 2007 BC women’s event.
Julie Provost retains the lead and vice skip position from play last season on the Recksiedler team.
Trysta Vandale has relocated to the Lower Mainland to join the other three in their quest for national, world and Olympic women’s titles.
Our Coach: To be Named
The setting:
In the 2007/2008 season, the team will curl at the Richmond Curling Club in the Super League. A number of top bonspiels in Western Canada have been chosen to fit the training plan.
Keep watching this website to see how our story unfolds
