Retired curler Kerry Galusha is coaching her daughter and other young players at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Mississauga, while veteran skip Krista Scharf has her teenage daughter as an alternate on her team. Both mothers are embracing the family aspect of the national women's curling championship. Their experiences highlight the challenges and joys of curling in the North and beyond.
Kerry Galusha, a 48-year-old veteran of 22 Scotties Tournaments of Hearts, has shifted from playing to coaching after her final competitive appearance last year in Thunder Bay alongside her daughter, Sydney. Now, she guides the Northwest Territories team at this year's event in Mississauga, including 16-year-old Sydney as second. The squad, skipped by Nicky Kaufman in her debut Scotties at age 40, features third Megan Koehler in her seventh tournament, lead Ella Skauge, 17, and alternate Brynn Chorostkowski, 16. Both Sydney and Skauge are in their second Scotties, having gone 3-5 last season with Galusha playing.
"I’m actually really retired and I don’t even really miss it. I’ve really embraced the coaching role and it’s been really fun," Galusha said. The team stands at 1-1, with a 10-5 victory over Yukon. Challenges persist in the North, where travel costs and juniors leaving for southern schools strain development. Galusha notes potential losses of Skauge, Sydney, and Chorostkowski to education, though some, like her brothers Jamie and Kevin Koe, returned to compete nationally—Kevin winning four Briers and two world titles from Calgary.
Similarly, Krista Scharf, 43, in her 13th Scotties with Northern Ontario, includes her 16-year-old daughter, Bella McCarville, as alternate. McCarville, a Grade 11 student from Thunder Bay, has junior experience at under-18 and under-20 nationals. "It’s just nice to have her experience it and I get to experience it through her eyes," Scharf said. Her team, with third Ashley Sippala, second Kendra Lilly, lead Sarah Potts, and coach Rick Lang, reverted to a four-player lineup this season after mixed results with a five-player setup. They hold two silvers and two bronzes from past Scotties but missed playoffs with 4-4 records the last two years. Starting strong with two wins, they face Alberta's Selena Sturmay next.
Scharf, curling since age 14, feels time pressing: "We know that our time is coming to an end soon." Post-Scotties, Galusha will coach Skauge and Sydney at the Canadian Under-20 Championship in Sudbury from March 28 to April 5.
