Robyn Silvernagle’s rink captures provincial title in Estevan

While winning a third Saskatchewan women’s curling title is special for Robyn Silvernagle, what mattered the most to her was who was in the stands watching.

Her 16-month-old son Kolt was in Estevan to watch his mom qualify for the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

“He spent almost an entire year in the hospital. From when he was born, he had eight surgeries and will need more but hopefully not for a little while,” an emotional Silvernagle said Sunday. “There was definitely moments where he shouldn’t have made it so we are very happy he is here with us.

“It’s so special. It was always a dream. I was always jealous of the people who could have their kids here so to have him here was pretty amazing.”

After losing twice to Nancy Martin’s rink at Affinity Place, Silvernagle’s was able to best Martin in their third meeting 8-4 to win the Viterra Scotties Saskatchewan provincial championship.

In the previous meetings between the two rinks at the tournament, Martin won both — 9-2 on Thursday and then 9-8 on Saturday.

Silvernagle’s team — consisting of third Kelly Schafer, second Sherry Just and lead Kara Thevenot — will represent Saskatchewan at the 2023 Scotties, Canada’s national women’s curling championship. That tournament will take place Feb. 17-26 in Kamloops, B.C.

And with that it's over.

Robyn Silvernagle's rink have won the provincial title 8-4. pic.twitter.com/dzZ0VqarkY

— Britton Gray (@BrittonGray) January 29, 2023

It will be a return to the national stage for Silvernagle and Thevenot. The two were members of Silvernagle’s rink that won the Viterra Scotties in 2019 and ’20.

It will be the first appearances at the tournament for Just and Schafer.

That’s not bad for a team that came together at the last minute.

For various reasons, the members of Silvernagle’s rink hadn’t planned on curling this year in women’s.

“It was right before the deadline,” Silvernagle said. “Kara and I have curled together for a long time and neither of us were playing on a team this year so we said, ‘Well, why don’t we just throw a team together for playdowns and see what happens.’ ”

In November, the team was still recruiting players to make a run at it. That included Schafer, who had played in mixed doubles provincials but hadn’t planned on competing in women’s.

“(They reached out) and I said, ‘I don’t know, I’m pretty much tapped out,’ ” the 41-year-old said. “I didn’t really want to play if I didn’t think we could play well and then I thought, ‘Why not? It’s only a couple of weekends.’ ”

The North Battleford rink was one of four teams to qualify at the last-chance event held in Twin Rivers, North Battleford. There they played six games between Jan. 4-9.

Then at the provincial Scotties, they played nine games between Wednesday and Sunday.

“It was good. We needed that weekend (at the last-chance event) for practice,” Silvernagle said. “We didn’t want to just show up here and play.”

And it’s all culminated in a provincial title.

“It has been a roller-coaster year and a half,” Silvernagle said. “To go back (to the Scotties) is so sweet.

“The first (Scotties) is definitely special because you’re like, ‘I finally did it and got to achieve that one goal.’ This one is pretty special too.”