Sherry Anderson, the stellar Saskatchewan shotmaker in women’s curling, was scheduled to defend her championships in two events within six weeks, when Curling Canada cancelled both because of the fear of the disease spreading across the west.

Anderson, Patty Hersikorn, Brenda Goertzen and Anita Silvernagle were about to defend the Everest Senior 50+ women’s championship at Portage La Prairie, Man., in March. They won last year’s title, going undefeated in one pool, and then beating Alberta 6-4 and Ontario 11-7 in playoff games.

Then, they were going to Kelowna in April to attempt to defend their world championship. They won the title a year ago in Stavanger, Norway, going 7-0 in Group A and then dispensing of Scotland 7-3 in the semifinals and Denmark 10-1 in the final. It was their second consecutive world title.

Anderson understands that the health and safety of the curlers and their supporters come first. No disease has ever thrown a curve at the sport like this. She knows that, at 56, she is a skilled player, sharp enough to compete in the Scotties women’s playoff system and now in the 50+ championships. And in a game where heartaches can prevail, the greatest strengths and the fondest memories are the friendships which prevail.

Even in the unsettling times this spring, Anderson knows she will be back to play again. She has seen the Canadian game evolve in so many directions. She’s seen the rule changes, the better icemaking, the rise of better competitors, the changing quality of shotmaking, and, even at a time like this spring, changes in personnel.

Anderson recently announced a change in the lineup she will skip in next season’s Scotties run.

The new member will be Breanne Knapp of Regina, a four-time Manitoba junior champion and a world junior silver medallist in 2009. Her father, Rob Meakin, played for seven years in the 1990s with the Kerry Burtnyk team in Manitoba. Knapp will play lead, Chaelynn Kitz will play second and Nancy Martin third.

It comes at a time when shuffles on Canadian teams are happening. All-star lead Lisa Weagle departed from Rachel Homan’s Ontario team. Vice-skip Sarah Wilkes is leaving Chelsea Carey’s Alberta-based team. Saskatchewan champion Robyn Silvernagle and second Jessie Hunkin will be the only returnees in their lineup, with Krista Streifel and Dayna Demers being the new additions.

“Sometimes the changes in personnel are hard to believe. I like Rachel Homan’s explanation that teams don’t have the coaches and managers to make the trades, swaps and cuts like professional hockey teams. It comes to the curlers themselves, and it can be very difficult. I’ve had to make those changes a number of times. Often, it’s just timing,” said Anderson.

On her friend Stephanie Lawton’s departure from the Silvernagle rink, Anderson guesses “Stephanie’s children are at an age where she may not have all the time she needs to curl competitively.”

The Scotties have been Anderson’s biggest challenge since 1994, when her Saskatchewan champions lost in the semifinals. Then came a good run, with Kim Hodson at third, Sandra Mulroney at second and Donna Gignac at lead. And another with Lawson as skip from 2010 to 2015, accepting her first-ever shot at playing third and enjoying it.

The best shot at a Canadian championship came in Brandon in 2002.

They won nine and lost two to finish the round-robin in first place, one victory better than Colleen Jones of Nova Scotia, Jennifer Jones of Manitoba and Sherry Middaugh of Ontario.

“We beat Colleen in the round-robin 8-7, with two on the 10th end. We beat her again in the Page playoff 6-3, with a three on the seventh end. In a rematch in the final, we were down 3-2 playing the sixth, and I came out wide on an attempted double — and a chance for two or three — and we gave up a steal of three. It’s one we should have had,” said Anderson.

Not long after her Saskatoon Nutana Cub team was disbanding, Anderson got a call from Lawton.

“I wasn’t sure at first. I had never played any other position except skip. It worked. Maybe our success as a team was best measured in some of the money events and going to the Continental Cup,” said Anderson, who was voted the winner of the Marj Mitchell award for sportsmanship in 2004 and 2015.

Anderson took a new Saskatchewan combination to the 2018 Scotties in Penticton, her fifth trip to the tournament as a skip, her seventh as a player. In both 2019 and 2020, she lost to Silvernagle in the Saskatchewan playoffs. But in money tournaments, the team competed in nine, finishing second n two and third in four.

The heartache of the fall 2019 season came when Aly Jenkins, who had played for Anderson the previous season, died at the age of 30 during the birth of her third child.

“Aly was such a strong and determined woman in everything she did. She was so full of life, always had a joke to tell, was so compassionate and a true competitor on and off the ice,” said Anderson in her tribute.

Basically, the pursuit of the Scotties forms the heaviest part of the schedule. The bonus for Anderson and her senior partners comes on the road to the 50+ playoffs. But sometimes there aren’t any picnics in senior events either.

“In our Canadian final against Sherry Middaugh last year, it was the most exhausting game in which I had played for a long time. We blanked at the beginning. Then, there were big ends on either side. We clawed our way back and it was very volatile.”

On the 10th, Middaugh rolled out on a takeout when she had a chance to win the game. They went to an extra end and Anderson counted four for an 11-7 win. And that’s why Anderson is pushing for the next big change in curling.

“Ice conditions are so good; curlers are so good that we have to make rule changes so that the game doesn’t get boring. We played eight ends at many events, and it is time for Curling Canada to get the Scotties and the Brier in line. If television wants a nice package for curling, don’t make the curlers speed up their games, just change the games to eight ends and everyone goes home happy.”

-Ned Powers