Women coaching Brier teams stress importance of representation

Much of the world is celebrating International Women’s Day on Friday.

The day focuses on shining a light on issues like gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.

READ MORE:

• Sky’s the limit: Sask. Air Ambulance pilot hopes to inspire women in aviation
• The last time Saskatchewan won the Brier: A trip down memory lane
• McEwen, Sask. finish round-robin play with win at 2024 Brier

At the Montana’s Brier this year in Regina, two women coaching teams in the event are stressing the importance of representing women in sports.

Kim Kelly, who coached Nova Scotia’s entry, said having different perspectives on a team is a great thing.

“I think the more perspectives you have, the better,” she said. “It’s like having different personalities on a team. You know they each add a different outlook on things, and it just enhances everyone’s experience. So I think the male and female perspectives are no different.”

There have only been three female coaches working with teams at the Brier and the Scotties Tournament of Hearts this year. The rest of the teams were coached by men, or didn’t have a coach.

Kelly has a championship pedigree. She won five Canadian women’s curling titles and two world women’s championships playing with Colleen Jones.

Kelly believes big changes will come from the younger generations.

“This generation doesn’t see male and female like it once did. I feel my boys see me as a person,” said Kelly.

Nunavut coach Katie Brooks has a similar take. She said she wants things to change.

“I do think it’s important to get more women involved in coaching roles, and I think there’s some initiatives happening to really increase the presence of women in the sport, and I do think it’s really important,” she said.

“I don’t want it to be a news story in a couple of years. There was Colleen (Jones) at the Scotties (coaching Nova Scotia), and Kim and I here. I’d like to see that changing and more equal representation.”

Brooks said change will begin to start when younger women are able to see and imagine themselves working in those roles.