Sixteen-year-old Sydney Galusha, a Gwich’in curler from Yellowknife, is playing her second straight Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Mississauga, Ontario, this time with her mother Kerry as coach. The Northwest Territories team, skipped by Nicky Kaufman, features several young players aiming to challenge top squads. Kerry Galusha, a 22-time Scotties veteran, is adjusting to her new role after retiring from competitive play.
Sydney Galusha, a Grade 11 student at Sir John Franklin High School in Yellowknife, had to complete her exams early to join the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.) squad at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, the Canadian women’s curling championship. The event, featuring 18 teams, runs from January 23 to February 1 in Mississauga, Ontario, with the winner advancing to the world women’s tournament starting March 14 in Calgary.
At 16, Sydney is the second for the Yellowknife Curling Club team skipped by 40-year-old Nicky Kaufman. The roster includes third Megan Koehler, in her seventh Scotties appearance; lead Ella Skauge, 17; and alternate Brynn Chorostkowski, 16. This marks Sydney's second consecutive nationals, following her 2025 debut in Thunder Bay, where her mother Kerry skipped the team to a 3-5 round-robin record.
Kerry Galusha, 48, has competed in 22 Scotties, debuting at 19 in 1998. Now retired from throwing rocks, she initially hesitated to coach, wanting the team to operate independently after Kaufman's promotion to skip. However, she joined to assist with sponsorships. “It’s pretty cool,” Kerry said. “It’s basically the same team I played with last year with a new skip. They kind of know how I operate. And it’s pretty neat to be here with them.”
Coaching differs from playing, especially during the opening loss to Ontario on January 23. “I didn't think it was going to be that different,” Kerry noted. “But it's really weird. You just get to sit there and watch and take it all in.” The team started 1-1 with a win over Yukon but fell to 1-2 after a 6-5 loss to Saskatchewan on January 26 morning, with a match against British Columbia scheduled that evening.
Sydney appreciates the continuity. “Last year was really special curling with my mom,” she said. “And this year is also special because I'm still playing on a team with her.” Her goals are modest: “I think we want to keep every game as close as we can and try and put some pressure on some of these top teams, and hopefully come out with some more wins.”
The Galushas share a lighthearted rink tradition: Sydney calls her mother “Kathy,” stemming from a past tournament program error that became a joke, complete with a parody social media account.
Challenges persist in the North, including high travel costs and junior curlers leaving for education. Kerry, who works at the N.W.T. Department of Justice, remains optimistic, planning to coach Sydney and Skauge at the Canadian Under-20 Championship this spring. Her brothers, Jamie Koe (18 Briers) and Kevin Koe (multiple titles), underscore the family’s curling legacy.
