Ackerman hoping to give Saskatchewan its first Scotties title in 13 years

A lifelong dream will come true for four Saskatchewan curlers on Friday night in Calgary.

Skip Skylar Ackerman, along with Kaylin Skinner at lead, Taylor Stremick at second and Ashley Thevenot at third, will represent Saskatchewan at the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts — the Canadian women’s curling championship.

The four curl out of the Nutana Curling Club in Saskatoon and qualified for the national tankard by defeating Nancy Martin’s rink 10-9 in an extra end during the provincial final in Tisdale last month.

Since the final, the four young curlers have been fine-tuning their game to make sure they’re prepared for their biggest test yet.

“(There’s) been lots of team practices,” Ackerman said after she and her team completed their final practice on Saturday before heading to Calgary.

“Just keep doing what we’re doing, and it’s been working for us this season so far. Just keep working hard on and off the ice and making sure we have our life all in order so we can go and enjoy Calgary.”

At age 22, Ackerman will become the youngest person to ever represent Saskatchewan at the Scotties when the tournament begins on Friday.

Because of its provincial championship victory, the Ackerman rink has grown in size over the past month. It added CurlSask’s director of high performance, Pat Simmons, along with veteran Amber Holland, who will serve as the fifth if someone on the team is unable to play.

Holland brings a wealth of experience to the team, as she’ll be competing in her ninth Scotties. She led Saskatchewan to its last Scotties title in 2011, and said she’s excited for the opportunity to help guide Ackerman’s team through the tournament.

“Even though the gals are a little younger, I’ve kind of been around their careers with my previous role as the CurlSask executive director,” Holland explained. “I’ve seen these gals at clinics and camps I used to be involved in.”

Holland is 49, but said she doesn’t think it’ll be too strange to play on a team of players in their 20s.

“(It’s) a little weird where it’s like, ‘OK, I could be your mom. I’ve seen you grow up in the sport,’ ” she joked.

“It’s one of the great things about our sport that we can have such a diversity of athletes that can play at such a top level. I’m really excited to take my experience, age and wisdom to Calgary to help them out.”

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Holland said she’s been doing everything she can to help the members of the team prepare for the biggest competition of their young lives. She said she’s been offering advice, but there’s no substitute for the real experience.

“I could tell them information and give them advice or tips, but really they do have to experience it on their own,” Holland said.

“That’s one of the great things about going to the Scotties for the first time – all of the excitement, the nerves and the things that come along with it. That’s just part of the gig, and as much as you don’t want them to have those feelings, I’m just telling them to embrace those feelings because it means you’re going somewhere pretty special,” she added.

Ackerman said her team is trying to approach the Scotties as just another tournament, but knows that’s not exactly the case this time around.

“We like to think it’s just another one, but it’s the biggest one any of us have gone to before,” she laughed.

“The pressure and nerves are going to get to us for sure a bit. We’ve all been dreaming about going there since we were little kids, so to get there is amazing and we’re just going to go and enjoy it.”

This will be Ackerman’s first time playing at the event, but not her first time attending the Scotties. Last year, she was invited to be the fifth on Robyn Silvernagle’s team.

Ackerman said she’s hoping that little bit of experience can help her get settled in Calgary.

“Just kind of knowing what to expect with all the off-ice commitments and the size of the event and everything that comes with it is really helpful,” Ackerman said. “I think I can help my team understand everything that goes on, and we can make better plans moving into the event about what we need to do.”

Holland said she thinks Ackerman’s rink can have a strong showing, and surprise some of the other teams.

“Sometimes when you’re in it, you don’t even know how you’re winning. I think with most sports, once you get really comfortable and find that place where you’re playing your best is really what it takes to win an event like that,” Holland explained.

“You can’t look that far ahead. There’s only one important rock at any one time, and that’s the one in your hand. If you just focus on that, then the rest just takes care of itself.”

Ackerman said she and her team can’t wait to get on the ice and throw that first rock when they begin their tournament on Friday night against Prince Edward Island.

She said they’re already feeling the love from across Saskatchewan.

“It’s really cool, we have a ton of support in this province. It’s amazing to see how many people have rallied behind us,” Ackerman said.

“It’s always an honour to get to represent Saskatchewan, and to do it with my best friends here. Everyone has worked so hard all year. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without our commitment level, sponsors and friends and family.”

–With files from 650 CKOM’s Will Mandzuk