Day 2 at the Scotties: Alberta champ Kayla Skrlik learning from first visit
'We play a tougher game now', says Calgary skip in feeling more confident at Canadian women's curling championship
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It’s early yet, but already Kayla Skrlik is drawing from her first visit to the Scotties two years back.
Holding onto big leads at the 2023 edition of the Canadian women’s curling championship proved ugly.
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Day 2 at the Scotties: Alberta champ Kayla Skrlik learning from first visit Back to video
But the 2025 Alberta queen and her crew from Calgary are feeling pretty about their game at the start of this winter’s chase for the national crown in Thunder Bay, Ont.
“God …” screeched Skrlik, when recalling their introduction to the Scotties two years back in Kamloops, B.C. “We started out each game strong and then ended each game weak.
“We had the curse of, like, being up four,” continued Skrlik. “We go up four and then drop our game, and then went up four again in our next game and dropped that one, and then we had to win four in a row but dropped our last two games. So four was a big number for us.
“But it was wild. I played a really bold strategy right off the gate, which is good for getting up four but not good for staying in the lead.”
Cue Friday’s return to the Scotties after a year’s hiatus and the Garrison Curling Club crew of three — with skip Skrlik, third Margot Flemming and second Ashton Skrlik playing without sick lead Geri-Lynn Ramsay — made good with a big lead at T-Bay’s Fort William Gardens.
They charged to an 8-4 win after going up 4-1 through four ends — again with that four score — over New Brunswick’s Melissa Adams.
And it was fours again featured Saturday night — this time with Ramsay in the lineup — with Skrlik down four after four ends but rallying to top B.C.’s Corynn Brown (1-1) 9-8.
“This year feels a little bit different,” said second Ashton Skrlik. “Definitely fair to say that we had some nerves (two years ago). It was our first Scotties, and I was 23 years old walking in. Had a little bit of imposter syndrome.
“But I feel more prepared, definitely, going into the Scotties — a little bit more, like, knowing what to expect.”
Her big sister agrees.
“Two years ago, there was a lot more hype,” said the 27-year-old skip. “Our first Scotties, we went in, like, deer in the headlights — we didn’t really know what to expect. And then this year, it’s definitely more known what we’re gonna anticipate. So it’s more comfortable — I would say — which is nice that things have sort of calmed down.”
There’s plenty of reasons for feeling more at ease this winter.
They feel they’ve “worked a lot on communication.”
And their skill level is up.
“Our shot-making has improved dramatically, especially our touch-weight shots,” Skrlik said. “And my players rarely miss the broom.”
“Plus I feel like our team support is really big,” continued Skrlik. “It’s really there, and just like the overall lives of our team really have kind of changed and shifted for the better. So I think the team aspect and the team support is a really important piece. And where our sports psychology is, that’s really nice right now. So I think going in with plan of being focused, making sure we’re all — as our sports psychologist said — all making sure our links are strong in our little chain, just to make sure that we’re all doing our part.”
Maybe most important aspect of their upward trend is having played more than 70 games this year has given Skrlik & Co. much more experience and confidence, especially after facing the nation’s élite rinks — such as Rachel Homan, Chelsea Carey, Kate Cameron and Kerri Einarson. Their busy schedule included two Grand Slam of Curling events and Curling Canada’s PointsBet Invitational, in which they lost in the final to Homan.
Those events have also helped them become more familiar with arena ice.
And along the way, they picked up enough points to head into the Scotties ranked third in Canada.
So … lots to like for Team Skrlik in their second visit to the Scotties.
“Yeah … I think that experience is there for sure and that sense of calmness,” Skrlik said. “It’s definitely helped our skill level go up substantially. We play a tougher game now. We can keep up with people in the slams a lot easier because of our skill making, especially at the third position.”
That’s where Margot Flemming, who brings important national championship experience to the team after making four straight Scotties appearances with Northwest Territories’ Kerry Galusha, has slotted in this season.
“I love the Scotties,” said Flemming, 31. “I think it’s just such an amazing event — so cool to be at.
“So definitely, I bring a little bit of that national experience,” continued the Ontario native. “And having someone with a new perspective on the team, that’s always kind of nice to see. And I definitely have a high energy.”
It’s the skill that the skip really embraces from Flemming.
And Skrlik is just as impressed with her younger sister’s performance after moving to second and Ramsay’s effort after flipping to lead duties.
“Geri is playing phenomenally,” added Skrlik. “Most of our leads in the game right now play 100 per cent, and Geri is definitely right up there.
“Like, Geri sets things up and then Ashton comes along and blasts things away, and it creates a really nice dynamic for the back end of the team, where I feel like we get to show off some of our skill.
“It’s created a more all-around team.”
One perhaps built to make a run at the Scotties.
EXTRA ENDS
Draw 2 Saturday afternoon saw: Quebec’s Laurie St-Georges (1-0) set a Scotties record seven-straight steals in an 8-2 dump of Manitoba’s Kaitlyn Lawes (0-1); Manitoba’s Kate Cameron (1-0) earn an 8-4 double-up of Northwest Territories’ Kerry Galusha (0-1); Manitoba’s Kerri Einarson (1-0) escape with a 6-4 win over Newfoundland and Labrador’s Brooke Godsland (0-1); and Nova Scotia’s Christina Black (1-0) score a 7-5 decision over Ontario’s Danielle Inglis (0-1) … Draw 3 Saturday evening saw: Alberta’s Selena Sturmay (1-1) torch Nunavut’s Julia Weagle (0-1) 11-4; Canada’s Rachel Homan (2-0) out-last Northern Ontario’s Krista McCarville (0-2) 7-4; and Saskatchewan’s Nancy Martin (2-0) score an 8-6 triumph over Prince Edward Island’s Jane DiCarlo (0-2) … The Scotties continue Sunday — all times ET and on TSN — with Draw 4 (9 a.m.), Draw 5 (2 p.m.) and Draw 6 (7 p.m.).
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