P.E.I.’s top athlete
Lauren Lenentine realizing childhood dreams by curling nationally and internationally
The last 14 months have provided opportunities for Lauren Lenentine to realize some childhood dreams.
During this time, the 20-year-old New Dominion native has won Canadian and world junior curling championships. This week, she is playing in Canada’s premier women’s curling event – the Scotties Tournament of Hearts – in Calgary.
Her accomplishments were recognized on Wednesday night as Lenentine was named the 2020 recipient of the Lieutenant-Governor’s Award, presented to P.E.I.’s top all-around athlete.
“I’m so honoured to win this award,” Lenentine told The Guardian through a text message early Thursday morning. “The Island has so many talented athletes, so to be able to receive this award is such a great honour.
“I saw a list of all past winners, and there are so many great athletes on that list. I’m happy to have my name among them.”
Lenentine’s parents, Robbie and Jennifer Lenentine, and younger sister, Ella, represented her at the 47th annual Sport P.E.I. Amateur Sport Awards at the Confederation Centre in Charlottetown.
Jennifer described it as a very prestigious award with a steep history.
“For Lauren to achieve this at such a young age, it’s quite an accomplishment, and we are quite proud of that,” she said.
Although Lauren was unable to attend the ceremony in person – she was on the ice playing a round-robin game in the Scotties at the time – a recorded video played of a conversation between her and Lt.-Gov. Antoinette Perry.
“Having the chance to talk one-on-one with the lieutenant-governor would have been pretty special for her, too,” said Jennifer.
MOVE TO WINNIPEG
Lauren, who was also named the junior female athlete of the year, decided in 2019 to move to Winnipeg and join the Mackenzie Zacharias-skipped rink at the lead position. After winning the Manitoba provincial championship, the rink, which includes third Karlee Burgess of Truro, N.S., and second Emily Zacharias, won the Canadian junior title in Langley, B.C., in January 2020. Lauren was named the all-star lead.
Team Zacharias then donned the Team Canada uniform and won the world junior title in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, in February.
“Getting out of Manitoba at any level of curling is difficult,” said Jennifer. “They really worked hard, they jelled really well, won the provincials in Manitoba and off they went to the Canadian nationals.
“They had a strong showing there, and probably the proudest moment was becoming a Canadian champion for Lauren and moving on to the world juniors.”
Lauren, who transferred from Dalhousie University in Halifax, N.S., to the University of Manitoba, said she has enjoyed curling in Manitoba.
“This season has obviously been a little different (with COVID-19), but the move has allowed me to compete more, and I got to play many new teams, which was very exciting,” said Lauren. “The move allowed me to pursue the goals I have in the sport.”
Lauren also won the 2018 world juniors as an alternate with Kaitlyn Jones-skipped Nova Scotia squad, which also included Burgess.
INSPIRATION
Inspired by well-known and accomplished P.E.I. curlers Kathy O’Rourke and Brett Gallant, Lauren started curling at age seven in 2007.
“I vividly remember watching Kathy play Jen Jones in the 2010 (Scotties) final, and I just thought that that was so cool,” said Lauren. “I had just started curling three years prior and was so excited to see a team from P.E.I. on TV at the Scotties.
“It definitely made me want
“I’m so honoured to win this award. The Island has so many talented athletes, so to be able to receive this award is such a great honour. I saw a list of all past winners, and there are so many great athletes on that list. I’m happy to have my name among them.” Lauren Lenentine
to play there someday.
“Brett has always been a role model for me. He has had so much success and has inspired me to follow in his footsteps.”
O’Rourke, a member of the P.E.I. Sports Hall of Fame and Curl P.E.I. Hall of Fame, is the alternate player with P.E.I.’s Suzanne Birt rink at this week’s Scotties.
Gallant, a former Canadian junior men’s champion, plays second for the Brad Gushue rink out of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Gallant, a three-time winner of the Lieutenant-Governor’s Award (2016, 2017 and 2019), was named the 2020 senior male athlete of the year.
“When she came to realize the opportunities the sport could bring, (Lauren) watched Brett Gallant on TV, she attended some curling camps that Brett was an instructor at, and she followed his team very frequently,” said Jennifer.
“Suzanne Birt and Kathy O’Rourke, she has seen them on centre stage on TV at the Scotties, and she has always admired and looked up to them and wanted to be at a level they have always competed at.
“She is there at the Scotties this week, and they have always been her role models.”
Jennifer praised the tremendous support Lauren has received from Sport P.E.I., Curl P.E.I., the Cornwall Curling Club, its members and all of the province.
“As I said when I accepted her first award, the number of people who reached out to her last year when she was in Russia, she was really feeling the P.E.I. love and the sense of community here at home,” said Jennifer.
“The Cornwall Curling Club will always be her home club. She’s happy to be in Winnipeg living out her dreams.”