NO REGRETS FOR JONES AS LAST ROCK APPROACHES
Winnipeg skip in contention for another title in her final appearance at the Scotties
Jennifer Jones is not ready to let it all out just yet.
But the emotional goodbye is right there, simmering just below the surface and inevitably set to explode when the time is right in these the final days of her amazing decades-long team curling career.
She certainly welled up Thursday after a final on-ice meeting with fellow Ontarian Danielle Inglis at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts at Calgary's Winsport.
“It's the curlers,” said Jones of what's been the most memorable part of her weeklong retirement party so far at the Scotties. “Danielle gave me a hug at the end of the game and said, `Thank you. On behalf of all of us, thank you.' “Very nice to hear.”
The 49-year-old Jones will hear lots of that in the next few days as she prepares to leave the women's game.
So it certainly won't be the last time she gets emotional this week.
Indeed, Jones has had her retirement party extended by a few days here.
That's thanks to the successful shooting of her and the Winnipeg rink of third Karlee Burgess, second Emily Zacharias and lead Lauren Lenentine, repping the
St. Vital and Altona curling clubs.
A 6-1 record heading into Thursday night's final round robin draw has Team Jones playoff-bound as she tries to put a cap to her brilliant career with a seventh Scotties triumph.
But not winning wouldn't be the end-all be-all. Not this week.
“No, no regrets,” Jones said. “I feel like we're playing well and that's all you could've ever ask for.”
But the emotion? Yeah, that's a done deal. And it will be a big deal when it all comes pouring out.
It's already started.
“All the messages I've been receiving have been really overwhelming and so touching, it's been more than I could have ever imagined,” said the Winnipeg native. “So it's been a little emotional and it's obviously felt really nice.
“And it's been a great crowd. Super great venue for the fans. It feels great on the ice, super energetic. That's all you could ask for. The fans always make it or break it.”
Among them in the house are her own loved ones.
Jones's mother, Carol, is here — always is, having not missed a major event her daughter has curled in except during COVID.
Talking of mom, who's hard to miss in the stands with her four vibrant friends wearing matching sweaters with the buffalo on it, brought tears to Jones's eyes and got her choked up again.
“She retired when I had kids so she could watch the kids because she never ever wanted me to retire for any reason other than myself,” Jones said. “She's 80 years old and she still watches our kids. She drives them all around Ontario, on the highway. And even to this day, she's like,
`If you want to keep curling, I'm here for you.' She's amazing and the girls have such a connection with her. She is the most spectacular person.
“My favourite memory of alltime with my mom was at the Olympic trials and I had just had Bella and she was watching her, and she just gave me a hug and told me how beyond proud she was of me. And I'll never forget that moment.”
Her older sister, Heather — seemingly her No. 1 fan — is here, too.
And so is husband Brent Laing — also a legend of the sport — with their daughters, 11-year-old Bella and seven-year-old Skyla.
“My family has been so supportive,” Jones said. “My sister takes holidays even if she can't come, just so she can make sure she can watch every single game we play.
“It means the world to know you have so many people behind you . ... I couldn't have done it without them.”
Of course, her team is behind her, too.
“We definitely talked about it before she announced she was retiring,” added Burgess. “I know with Jen's kids getting older and they're getting so busy that it was always in the back of our minds. She just wants to be with them a little bit more.
“And we support her 100 per cent. Her kids are so phenomenal. With so much time on the road, she really does miss a lot. So I think this is a great decision for her.”
EXTRA ENDS
The final playoff spots were decided Thursday, when the round robin wrapped up at night. The winner of B.C.'S Clancy Grandy (5-2) and Manitoba's Kate Cameron (3-4) in the evening draw determined the other Pool B team joining Jones (6-1) and Ontario's Rachel Homan (7-0) ... The last berth among
Pool A combatants was earned Thursday afternoon to break a significant logjam of five potential teams — Northern Ontario's Krista Mccarville (4-3), B.C.'S Corryn Brown (4-3), Saskatchewan's Skylar Ackerman (4-4), Quebec's Laurie St-georges (3-4) and Manitoba's Kaitlyn Lawes (3-4) — and join Alberta's Selena Sturmay (6-1) and Canada's Kerri Einarson (6-1) in the playoffs ... The Scotties slide in to playoff mode Friday at noon MT with 1 vs. 2 qualifiers followed by 3 vs. 4 qualifiers Friday at 6 p.m. MT at Winsport.