Amanda Gates aims to 'get some slides in' before next month's Scotties

The women's curling team representing northern Ontario in the upcoming Scotties is facing a bit of an unusual problem, as all of the curling rinks are currently closed during the provincial lockdown.

That means the team is having to think of creative ways to practise before heading to the national event next month.

Amanda Gates, who plays lead position on the Krysta Burns team from Sudbury, says she posted about the issue on Facebook, saying they were looking for ice to practise on.

"People I didn't even know reached out and were like 'We have a hockey rink, will that help?'"

Gates says they now have some options for ice on which they "can just kind of slide ... just to get that feel."

The last time she threw a rock was Dec. 16, during a league game.

"We actually played a shorter game than normal, which, looking back, I wouldn't have done," she said.

"And then it was the normal break, then we would have started up in January again. But when the lockdown hit on Jan. 26, all the clubs closed. And so we haven't been able to get back on them at all."

Getting those "slides" in is even more important than throwing rocks, Gates says.

"We've all been curling for so long that I don't think the 'throwing the shots' part is as important to practise. It's that slide.  It's not a normal position to be in."

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She says practising lunges and holding them is one thing, "but it's just not the same as when you kick out and you slide."

She recalled a time when she took a break from curling after competing with Team Fleury.

"But I still played in some funspiels [and] actually tore a bunch of ligaments in my leg because I just hadn't been doing that slide enough and stretching myself properly, and then I was injured. So that's kind of my fear. I just don't want any of us to be injured at the Scotties."

The national competition could see players taking part in as many as 30 ends of curling each day.

"We're not stressing about it because there's a lot of other teams in the same situation," Gates said. "So it's not like we're the only ones."

Gates says they're going to try getting in some slides on Sudbury's Ramsey Lake on Friday.

"So I plan to give it a go [and] try to get the hack in and then hopefully on Sunday we'll be able to throw."

She and her teammates will represent northern Ontario at the Scotties next month in Calgary.

On the men's side, Brad Jacobs will be once again representing the north at the Brier.

The team curls out of the Soo Curlers club in Sault Ste. Marie, as they have an exemption to use the rink. They're the only ones allowed in, and are practising several times a week.