JONES IS ROCK STAR ON AND OFF THE ICE
Manitoba skip keeps her plate full with curling, family life
Jennifer Jones seems to be everywhere during the curling season.
She’s on the ice skipping her women’s curling team or starring in one of the many advertisements that are part of the rotation of TSN’s coverage of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and other events on Curling Canada’s Season of Champions.
The advertisements reveal Jones is more than an ultracompetitive curler. She’s a wife and a mother of two daughters and has a lot of things on the go. Yet, she still has time to bake with Isabella (five years old) and Skyla (16 months).
“Everybody seems to love the commercials and the girls had so much fun doing them,” said Jones, who is the skip of Team Manitoba at the Canadian women’s curling championship. “That is really a typical day in our life because Isabella and I bake all the time.”
Jones shrugged when asked about welcoming viewers into her kitchen during family times, especially when celebrities tend to be guarded about their private lives.
“I was reluctant to do that in the beginning, especially when Isabella was first born,” said Jones, making her 13th appearance at the Scotties. “With the power of social media these days, they are going to be out there regardless. This way I feel like I’m in control of the situation. I’m very protective of my kids and it’s just a great memory for them. They have been such a huge part of my curling and I hope they always know that they were part of it.”
Curling is a major part of Jones’s life. She’s married to Brent Laing, who plays second with Calgary’s Kevin Koe and will represent Canada in men’s curling at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Jones, who won the gold medal in women’s curling at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, was at the trials as a participant. She came up short in her attempt to represent Canada at consecutive Winter Games. She then celebrated after Laing qualified for his first.
“I don’t think there was anyone happier in the world than me when Team Koe won,” Jones said. “I think all of the wives probably tied for it. … Still, Brent has dealt with disappointment in the Olympic trials in the past. He came with me to Russia and he was a big reason why I performed so well. I really wanted him to experience the Olympics. To be able to go with him is almost like I’m on the ice. He’s the love of my life and when he’s out there I feel like I’m with him.”
Jones’s cheerleading at the Winter Olympics won’t be limited to Laing. Kaitlyn Lawes, who has played third with Jones for eight years, qualified for the Winter Olympics in mixed doubles with John Morris.
“We’re going to have a blast as fans of Team Canada,” Jones said. “It will be a great experience. I’ve been away from my kids a lot, so I’m bringing Isabella and we’re going to experience a different culture together.”
It has already been a different Scotties for Jones, second Jill Officer and lead Dawn McEwen. Lawes isn’t curling here due to her Olympic commitments. After the Manitoba championship, Jones added Shannon Birchard as the third.
Jones and Officer have shared in five gold, three silver and three bronze medals at the national championship.
Jones and Officer need one more national championship to tie Colleen Jones’s record of six.
“I haven’t had a conversation with Jennifer about it, but I know it’s in the back of my mind,” Officer said. “How cool would that be? If it doesn’t happen, can we really complain about five?”
Jones continued to roll Sunday with a 14-1 victory over Yukon’s Chelsea Duncan.