Six young athletes from Steinbach made a strong impression at the Rockfest Prairies U15 curling event in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Three of them advanced to the final round, with two tying for fourth place. The competition emphasized skill development and new formats like triples curling.
The Rockfest Prairies U15 is an individual skills competition designed to foster personal development among young curlers. Jill Oakley, involved with the event, described it as "a strategic blend of training and competition." She noted that it provides athletes the opportunity to hone skills and compete in singles and triples formats against peers from neighboring provinces and territories. The program aims to build well-rounded players through strategy and technical training.
This year, six athletes from Steinbach pre-qualified: Ahinoam Ruka, Brooklyn Wiebe, Ethne Klassen, Jenny Martin, Katy Stepaniuk, and Morgan Ltywyn. Over the three-day event, participants engaged in skills competitions, learned triples curling, interacted with peers from other provinces, and attended off-ice training and strategy sessions. Coaching came from local professionals and Paralympic curling athletes.
Three Steinbach participants—Brooklyn Wiebe, Jenny Martin, and Katy Stepaniuk—advanced to the final round held on Monday afternoon in Moose Jaw. In a tight finish, Wiebe and Martin tied for fourth place, falling short of a podium spot by just one point.
Katy Stepaniuk enjoyed the social aspects, saying, "Rockfest is very fun. You get to meet new people and see old friends... Probably the best part for me is the triples games." Brooklyn Wiebe, attending for the third time, reflected on the pressure: "When you're competing against the top females from Manitoba and Saskatchewan, it gets pretty stressful... Learning how to deal with those emotions and upsets is really helpful, even at 13." Jenny Martin, aging out after this year, added, "Rockfest is one of those things that you wait forever for... Overall, I had one of the best weekends of my life."
The event highlighted the athletes' progress and the value of competitive experiences for youth curlers.
