Team Sask. bringing mix of youth and experience to Scotties

After leading Team Saskatchewan to many Scotties Tournament of Hearts as skip, Stephanie Lawton is ready for her new role as third when Robyn Silvernagle’s rink represents Saskatchewan in Sydney, N.S. Saturday.

“Definitely a new role for me going, but we’ve played a full season of it and I’m really loving playing third,” Lawton said ahead of her fifth appearance at the national women’s curling championship.

“Just being a support person for Robyn, and the rest of the team.”

Silvernagle, a Scotties rookie, is happy to have a person like Lawton to lean on.

“(Lawton) is just so positive, she’s skipped for so long,” Silvernagle said of her teammate. “She knows exactly how I’m feeling and what I need.”

“She’s been so great for us.”

This year marks Lawton’s first time competing in the Scotties as third instead of her usual role as skip, but she doesn’t mind having all the pressure fall on someone else this time around.

“There’s a lot of pressure in terms of throwing last shot and calling the game — there’s different aspects to it,” Lawton said. “Whereas the third, I feel that I can be more of a communicator out there for the team.”

“I can just go out there and throw.”

Lawton says the team has had success all year, and has had fun doing it. She sees no need to change their approach for the Scotties.

“It doesn’t have to change that much from what we’ve been doing all along,” she said. “It’s a matter of getting out there, seeing everything, taking it in and then relaxing.”

“These girls know how to curl, so there’s not a doubt in my mind that everyone is going to be ready to play when we get out there.”

Lawton thinks the rink’s experience in Grand Slam events will serve them well this week as there are few other opportunities to duplicate the feeling of the huge crowds and microscope of television.

“All of that kind of stuff, but also playing against the top teams,” Lawton said of playing under the bright lights with plenty attention.

“We did well at it… so going into the Scotties, we know we’re right there as well.”

Opening up the competition against Jennifer Jones and Team Canada will give Silvernagle and company all the opportunity to show their worth. Lawton and the rest of the rink is happy to start off against tough competition rather than hoping for an easier matchup.

“Playing (Jones) the first game is what it is,” Silvernagle said. “She’s in our pool, so we’d have to play her at some point. Why not the first game?”

Saskatchewan’s first game is in tonight’s evening draw, which starts at 5:30 p.m. Saskatchewan time.

—With files from 650 CKOM’s Wray Morrison