Englot a true champion at the top of her game

Regina’s Michelle Englot made an imprint during her first year on the provincial women’s curling scene — both in 1988 and 2017.

Twenty-nine years ago, Englot debuted at the Saskatchewan women’s championship and skipped her Tartan Curling Club foursome to the title.

On Sunday, participating in the Manitoba final for the first time, Englot and her Winnipeg-based curling cohorts defeated Darcy Robertson 8-6 in the championship match.

So, as per tradition, Englot is off to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts — her eighth. This year’s nationals are Feb. 18-26 in St. Catharines, Ont.

Given the events of this season, travelling to a curling event is hardly a foreign concept for Englot. She has been commuting to practise and play alongside third Kate Cameron, second Leslie Wilson-Westcott and lead Raunora Westcott.

By the time Cameron was born, in 1991, Englot had already won three Saskatchewan titles.

Now, having just turned 53, she is still among the elite.

On Saturday, Englot defeated five-time national champion Jennifer Jones 9-5 to secure a berth in the final. Jones was unbeaten until running into Englot, who is accustomed to facing dynastic curling teams.

Over nearly 30 years as a prominent curler, Englot has competed against the first Olympic women’s champion (the 1998 Sandra Schmirler team) and the mostrecent one (Jones, et al, circa 2014).

In fact, two members of the Schmirler team — Jan Betker being the other — were involved in the first Saskatchewan women’s final Englot won.

On Feb. 8, 1988, Englot teamed with third Joan Herauf, second Lorie Kehler and lead Leanne Eberle to post a 10-0, titleclinching victory over defendingchampion Kathy Fahlman, whose team also consisted of Schmirler (third), Betker (second) and Sheila Schneider (lead).

“I’m not sure I believe it myself yet,” Englot, who was known as Michelle Schneider at the time, told the Regina Leader-Post’s David Moser on a celebratory Sunday in Weyburn in 1988. “For any competitive curler, winning the provincial championship is a dream.”

A recurring dream, in Englot’s case. She also won Saskatchewan championships in 1989, 1990, 1992, 2001, 2008 and 2012.

Englot’s first visit to the Scotties still stands as her most successful. She posted a 9-2 round robin record before losing 7-4 to Ontario’s Heather Houston (the eventual champion) in the semifinal. So many things have changed since then.

When Englot was first crowned a provincial champion, Brian Mulroney was the prime minister — in the pre-GST days, to boot — and Ronald Reagan governed the United States.

Justin Trudeau had just received his driver’s license.

Bill Baker was the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ general manager. The team’s quarterbacks were upstarts named Kent Austin, Tom Burgess and Jeff Bentrim. Not even a year past a telethon, the notion of a new stadium was laughable.

The Regina Pats were coached by Doug Sauter and assistant Dennis Sobchuk.

Their roster included Craig Endean, Len Nielsen, Darrin McKechnie and the Pup Line — 16-year-old rookies Mike Sillinger, Jamie Heward and Frank Kovacs. Wayne Gretzky was still an Edmonton Oiler. Englot is still winning provincial championships.

I was very fortunate to cover her team in 1989, when the Scotties was held in Kelowna. Peter Loubardias, then of CKCK Radio, also made the trip to report on Englot’s second appearance at nationals.

The Montmartre-born Englot went 8-3 before once again losing to Houston in the semifinal. My favourite recollection is of the manner in which Englot and her teammates — a classy contingent that also included fifth Kenda Richards and coach Arleen Day — conducted themselves.

It was routine for Englot to be surrounded by media types, including Peter and this scribbler.

When the scrum dispersed, Englot invariably asked the two Regina reporters: “Anything else you guys need?”

That may seem like a small detail, but such acts of courtesy are huge — and increasingly rare in a day and age when media access at so many sporting competitions is regimented, tightly controlled and impersonal.

Englot’s remarkable character was also evident at the 2008 Scotties in Regina.

Her father died of a heart attack the day before the tournament began. Yet, on the saddest of days, Joe Englot’s proud daughter met with reporters and talked about her dad.

To this day, I am in awe of how she carried herself for the entire week.

I hid in my room with the dog after a heart attack suddenly claimed my father in 1982. Englot curled in a national event — under an unrelenting spotlight, with the Scotties being held in her city of residence — and was absolutely amazing.

Nothing has changed. Michelle Englot is still a marvel — and a deserving champion once more.