Jennifer Jones has recruited a three-time provincial champion to replace Kaitlyn Lawes at the 2018 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Penticton, B.C.
Shannon Birchard will play third for Jones’ St. Vital-based rink during the national women’s curling championship. Jones won the right to represent Manitoba at the Scotties by securing a record eighth provincial women’s title on Sunday.
“It’s gonna be nerve-wrecking and it’s big shoes to fill.” Birchard said.
“I’m excited for the opportunity. I don’t think they expect me to be Kaitlyn, but I want to play as best I can, and to contribute as much as I can to their game, and hopefully that’s enough to get us a championship.”
Lawes is unable to play at the Scotties as she’ll be competing at the Pyeongchang Olympics in mixed doubles curling.
“Shannon’s got some experience behind her,” Jones’ second Jill Officer said. “And she’s played at the national level a couple of times in juniors and we just think she has all the shots and would be ready to come and play.”
“There’s a tonne of depth in Manitoba and they had a lot of options to choose from,” said Birchard. “So I didn’t want get my hopes up too much, but you can dream.”
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This will be Birchard’s first trip to the national Scotties. She has played the skip position exclusively throughout her career so the extra sweeping will be an adjustment.
“I’m a little bit concerned,” said Birchard. “But I have thankfully been playing mixed doubles and I’ve been sweeping quite a bit through that, so I’m not a total newbie at it.”
Birchard claimed back-to-back Manitoba junior titles in 2012 and 2013 as a skip. She also won the provincial mixed doubles championship in 2017. Birchard’s team was ranked fourth at last week’s Manitoba Scotties in Killarney. It was her fourth appearance at the tournament.
Birchard has been competing on the World Curling Tour the last few years. She beat Jones in the final of the Colonial Square Ladies Classic earlier this season. The Winnipegger also captured the Manitoba Curling Tour Championship in December.
To help integrate Birchard into her new team she’ll play a couple games at this week’s grand slam, the Meridian Canadian Open, while Lawes watches on.
“I think it just makes sense.” Officer said. “It’s a good opportunity with Kaitlyn still around for her to kind of slide her way in and ask Kaitlyn some questions about playing third on Team Jones.”
Lawes won’t be at the Scotties in person but you can bet she’ll be watching from afar as she prepares for her second Olympic games.
“It’s going to be strange.” Lawes said.
“This is the first time in eight years that I’ve missed one game. I’ve never missed a game due to illness or anything like that, so it’ll be hard to not be there, but they know I’ll be cheering them on.”
Manitoba’s first game of the Scotties is scheduled for Jan. 27 against Saskatchewan.