Kelly Wood is steeped in Scottish curling.
There isn’t a national title worth winning that hasn’t been ticked off.
Her list of achievements stretches into double figures and takes in four women’s, three mixed team, one mixed doubles and three juniors.
No Scot can get close to Eve Muirhead in terms of domestic success but Kelly is certainly in the conversation when it comes to next best.
Seven world or European medals (a gold in the latter) and selection for three Olympic Games further enhances the Montrose athlete’s entitlement to be regarded as a great of the sport in this country.
And now she is about to break new ground (beyond the reach of even Eve) and become the first curler to compete in the Scottish and Canadian championships.
Kelly has lived in Canada for over a decade, after marrying the local mayor and making a life for herself in Swift Current with husband Jerrod and son Darby.
The fact that for the vast majority of that time she hasn’t been a Canadian citizen has restricted her curling opportunities, with an injury to Anna Sloan in the build-up to the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics opening up an unexpected window to compete at the top of the sport for a few months.
At 41, Kelly isn’t about to throw herself into the life of a full-time athlete again.
But citizenship has been secured at last and she’s made curling history by putting it to good use as part of a new team which won the Saskatchewan Provincials, progressing to the 2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Kamloops, British Columbia, which begin on Friday.
‘Been there, done that’
“I did think this level of curling was in the past for me,” said Kelly, who started playing the game under the chandeliers of the now closed Letham Grange ice rink. “Not that I ever wanted it to be.
“When I first moved over I wanted to be able to play so I pleaded with Curling Canada to accept residency rather than citizenship.
“They wouldn’t do it.
“That’s why when Eve called me in 2017 to get me back in for a bit when Anna was injured it was an easy decision because I wasn’t getting any closer to competing in Canada apart from in mixed.
We are delighted to have secured our spot in the Olympic semi-finals! The support from everyone has been incredible- especially that of our brilliant alternate Kelly! See you for the next match Friday! ❤️🥌 pic.twitter.com/dP6dWiMTJx
— Team Muirhead (@Team_Muirhead) February 21, 2018
“In ’17 or ’18 I was really close to getting my citizenship but the government changed the rules and extended it by another year.
“In 2019, which was my first year of being eligible as a citizen, I put together a team and we didn’t make the play-offs.
“I’d resigned myself to thinking ‘been there, done that’. I’d had more wonderful experiences in curling than anybody could wish for.
“I was just going to play locally. That would be good enough.
“But in the winter one of the girls from Robyn Silvernagle’s old team called and said ‘look, do you fancy entering provincials and see how it goes?’
“It takes me two hours just to get to a major city and the girls I play with just now are four or five hours away from me.
“In Scotland it’s so much easier to get together to practice and play.
“I wouldn’t have done it with just anybody but I knew that Robyn was a really good shot-maker.
“We entered what’s called ‘the last chance’ competition. There were no expectations on us but we won it.
“Applying for citizenship was purely for curling – that was the main driver. There was nothing else that I practically needed.
“I’m glad I pursued it.”
Saltire swapped for Maple Leaf
Scotland v Canada is as competitive a rivalry as you’ll find in curling.
The granting of citizenship and being officially Canadian in curling terms hasn’t given Kelly any need to start wrestling with torn allegiances as far as her homeland is concerned.
Well, not yet.
“I suppose it is kind of weird but I’m not looking at it like that right now even though I know other people will,” said Kelly, whose Canadian twang softens as a half-hour chat progresses.
“For me it’s just curling.
“Having said that, if something bizarre happened and we won and all of a sudden I’m wearing a Canada jersey that would be a different story!”
Kelly added: “For our provincials we were the last to qualify but third in the betting because people knew who we were as curlers.
💚💚Meet your 2023 @ViterraCanada Scotties Provincial Champions! 💚💚
Skip Robyn Silvernagle, third Kelly Schafer, second Sherry Just, lead Kara Thevenot. 💪
Team Silvernagle will represent Team Saskatchewan in Kamloops, BC from Friday Feb 17-26. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/YcpChUNSBO
— CURLSASK (@CURLSASK) January 30, 2023
“This is another level.
“The nationals in Canada is the equivalent of the Worlds in terms of spectators, calibre of teams and the number of teams who can win.
“We’re going up against Jennifer Jones, Kaitlyn Lawes and so many other strong teams.
“We’re ranked 13th but I guess you never know.
“Everything I achieved back home does feel like a different lifetime and it has been cool to have a reason to kind of look back and think ‘yeah, I did quite a lot’.
“Remembering things like the first time I played against Eve, the first time I played with her and going up against the likes of Jackie (Lockhart) and Rhona (Martin).
“Curling Canada sent through some biographies the other day that you have to check.
“The girls were laughing because mine was so big.
“There were umpteen Europeans, Worlds and Scottish. Robyn was like ‘I didn’t even know you went to three Olympics’.
“My mum is coming out for this tournament. She used to travel to so many events to watch myself and my sister.
“She must have thought she was finished with all this as well!”
Never say never for Eve
Talking of things coming to an end – or rather, things not actually coming to an end – Kelly believes retirement isn’t necessarily final for Britain’s 2022 Olympic gold medal skip and most decorated curler.
She said: “The last time I spoke to Eve she was heading to Perth Super League!
“I was where Eve was, thinking ‘enough is enough, I need a break and a new balance in my life’.
“But curling does give you an opportunity to return.
“Look at Glenn Howard, for example, who was our coach at PyeongChang. He just walked his provincials and is pushing 60.
“It’s a unique sport. Yes, fitness is very important – more so than it used to be.
“But in curling sometimes you get players who have that shot-making ability. They’re different to the ones who could work on the ice, day in and day out but would never quite have it.
“Eve is one of those who have a special ability. If she decided to come back in even 10 years, I’m pretty sure she could wipe the floor.”
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