Karlee Burgess in 'pinch-me' mode with another chance to play alongside curling royalty
Jennifer Jones and Kerri Einarson have both called on young, talented Manitoban to help push for success
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Karlee Burgess is living her curling dream.
First, a job at a young age with legendary Jennifer Jones.
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Karlee Burgess in 'pinch-me' mode with another chance to play alongside curling royalty Back to video
And now, a gig with four-time national champion Kerri Einarson?
“Pinch me,” said 26-year-old Burgess, still in shock from the recent shuffle she’s made in her career to join Einarson. “That’s where I’m like, ‘This is insane.’
“I feel so lucky,” she continued. “So many curlers would love to have the opportunity to play with one of them and I get to play with both of them?
“I feel so special.”
She should …
Because something about Burgess is certainly special in the eyes of those icons who’ve coveted her skills.
First, Jones.
And now, Einarson …
Not only are they two of the most successful skips of the last decade-plus, but they are leaders from which Burgess has always wanted to learn.
“I looked up to like Jennifer Jones when I was growing up and through my junior career,” Burgess said. “And actually, Kerri Einarson has always been my number one on my list of who I want to play within the next (Olympic) quadrennial and in the future. She’s always been on my radar, and I’ve always really respected her as a player,
“So I’m really excited to have gotten this opportunity.”
The chance comes after an injury to Einarson’s longtime second Shannon Birchard, who’s now sidelined indefinitely suffering with a sore knee that’s gone undiagnosed.
Einarson and veteran third Val Sweeting felt Burgess would be the right replacement for the front-end star and extended the invitation for the Team Chelsea Carey third to join their team.
“Honestly, it was pretty shocking to me,” said Burgess, of the request to compete with Einarson & Co. “It took me off-guard. Like I didn’t expect any major changeups in the women’s circuit, and I didn’t expect it to come to me and have to put myself first and not focus on the team during these times, because it’s like month and a bit away from Scotties when she called me.
“It was kind of almost get into crunch time and training is in full swing.”
At the time of last month’s invite, Burgess was the third for Team Carey, who took over the Manitoba crew — which also includes second Emily Zacharias and lead Lauren Lenentine — once skipped by the now-retired Jones.
And her departure caused Carey & Co. to lose their eligibility for the upcoming Scotties — which run Feb. 14-23 in Thunder Bay, Ont. — since teams need to maintain at least three of the original members from when it qualified for the event.
First, it was Jones retiring after the squad pre-qualified by earning the top spot available in the Canadian Team Ranking System.
Then, it was Burgess leaving — but not until after some soul searching and plenty of advisement from her parents, Allison and Craig, and partner Jacques Gauthier.
“I don’t like being the bad guy,” Burgess said. “So it was a pretty emotional decision for me, and I found it quite hard.
“It took me a little while to make the decision, just because I do respect Emily, Lauren and Chelsea, and I know it’s been a challenging year for us as a team.
“But that’s just the way the sport goes right now — there’s so much movement, especially this season. And it’s an exciting opportunity for myself.”
It’s another golden one — really — given the first chance offered with Jones, which amounted to success in the form of back-to-back silver medals at the Scotties in 2023 and ’24.
“I think people see the drive and determination I have for the sport,” continued Burgess. “And I think I bring a lot of positive energy. So with Kerri’s team going through such a crazy couple years, I think they just want me to bring a little bit of pep in their step.
“And having Jen reach out to me before and seeing a lot of those qualities in me and being able to be a third at the highest level and fit right in at the grand slams and be runner-up with Scotties, I feel like I’m just on a really good trajectory.”
It just seems like only a matter of time, in fact, that she’s crowned a national champion.
“I would love to win a Scotties, of course,” added Burgess. “I’ve just been so close that it just makes me want to push and play even better. Like I’m right there, so that’s the goal.
“If it’s this year with Kerri, then amazing … fantastic. And if it’s not, it’s not going to stop me from trying to reach that goal. I hope people feel like I give off the sense that I’m fully committed and I am there to win.”
Extra ends
Provincial championships have started in both the Yukon and Nunavut in the push for Scotties and Brier spots … At the Whitehorse Curling Club, Patty Wallingham and defending champ Bayly Scoffin play in a best-of-five series to determine the Yukon rep for the Scotties. Also at the WCC this weekend are the men — Ray Mikkelsen versus defending champ Thomas Scoffin — playing in a best-of-five for the right to rep the Yukon at the Brier … At the Iqaluit Curling Club this weekend, it’s defending champ Shane Latimer versus three-time provincial king Peter Mackey in Nunavut’s fight to reach the Brier … The World Financial Group Masters, the fourth event on the Grand Slam of Curling schedule, begins Tuesday at Sleeman Centre in Guelph, Ont.
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