The World Junior Curling Championships have such a special place in my heart.
I’ve got so many great memories.
My first of four golds was won in Eveleth, Minnesota way back in 2007.
I played third in that team and I remember taking half a suitcase of Irn-bru with me for the trip………and my bagpipes!
I’m not sure how there was room for my curling gear!
The only championships I missed between then and 2011 was 2010 but I had a good reason as I was at the Vancouver Olympics.
To win my fourth and final gold in Perth was the perfect happy ending for my junior career.
One thing that really sticks out from all four years was how difficult it was even getting to the last eight in Scotland, never mind winning, to qualify.
We had junior districts with around 20 teams competing!
Times have changed so much – there are very few junior teams around now.
Competing in tough junior matches was such an important learning experience.
Some sports struggle to bridge the gap between juniors and adult competition but I think curling has a better strike-rate than most.
Just looking at my era, Kaitlyn Lawes, who is a double Olympic gold medallist for Canada, was an opponent and so were Anna Hasselborg and players from her team.
PREVIEW | World Junior Curling Championships to begin in Jönköping
ℹ️ All you need to know about the event: https://t.co/mpT7ZrS7wI
🎥 Broadcast schedule: https://t.co/KoNfDcKcvP#Curling #WJCC2022 pic.twitter.com/yE1U5cqNvb
— World Curling (@worldcurling) May 9, 2022
I’m sure there will be future champions competing in the World Juniors, which start this weekend in Sweden.
It’s very late in the curling calendar due to the pandemic but I’m so pleased Scotland have a chance to play in the ladies event.
A few years back we were relegated to the B division.
But the World B Championships got cancelled and, fortunately for us, Russia have been taken out of the As this year and after a couple of other teams were unable to take up the spot, Scotland got the call-up.
I wish Fay Henderson and her team all the luck in the world.
This has been arguably the best ever year for Scottish curling and a medal for our girls (and boys!) would be the perfect way to finish it off.
The news that the national academy at Stirling is to close is a real blow for tennis in Scotland.
Judy Murray has done such a good job in driving investment north of the border to build on everything her boys have achieved.
All is not lost though – legacy doesn’t have to be linked to an academy.
Andy and Jamie are great examples of that.
If the game is getting played by more people at grassroots and players come through with fire in their belly like the Murray brothers, Scotland may produce more stars.
Fighting against the system rather than with it can sometimes bring out the best in you.
St Johnstone are going to find themselves in a very similar situation to me at the Olympic qualifier event – being in a competition you’d rather have avoided!
There’s no point wondering about how you got there. It’s now all about knuckling down and getting on with it.
Believe me, if they come out the other side of these play-offs with the result they want it will all be worth it!
