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Scotties hits the right button

Okotoks has pulled off an achievement that happens, oh, every 21 years.

Okotoks has pulled off an achievement that happens, oh, every 21 years.

The Okotoks Curling Club ran a highly successful 2020 Sentinel Storage Alberta Scotties Tournament of Hearts at the Murray Arena last week that went as perfect as Laura Walker going 9-0 to win the championship.

It was the first time Okotoks has hosted the elite curling event since 1998 when it was won by Cathy Borst (it’s also the same year that 2020 Alberta Scottie co-chair Atina Ford Johnston won an Olympic gold medal with the legendary Sandra Schmirler).

It shouldn’t have been a surprise that the curling club was able to run the event as cleanly as a Kelsey Rocque draw to the four-foot. The club didn’t start preparing when it got the official word from Curling Alberta last year, it’s been preparing for years.

The club worked its way up to hosting the women’s championship by hosting provincial U18 and U21 championships in the past. And Curling Alberta took notice and awarded Okotoks the 2020 Scotties.

The success at the Scotties was a joint effort of sponsors in the area to the army of volunteers.

It was a sea of red at the Murray Arena, what with all the volunteers wearing the coloured jackets to let patrons know they were at the ready.

They did yeoman and yeowoman’s work.

Co-chair and head of ice Mike Libbus spent a night at the Rec Centre as he got the sheets ready and other duties.

And nary a complaint from curlers — a precise bunch — about the condition of the ice.

That was all par for the course.

The benefactors were the Okotoks community and fans.

Patrons spent money and stayed in Okotoks hotels — as well as got to see the community.

So rest well, Okotoks Curling Club, you need it.

Nobody wants to wait another 21 years for such a great event.

 




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