Colleen Jones stares down expectations

The favorites: Halilfax curler has one gold in five world appearances

Adam Daifallah

National Post

Saturday, April 17, 2004

Despite being Canada's most accomplished women's curler, Colleen Jones still has a giant albatross around her neck.

While she has an unprecedented six Scott Tournament of Hearts titles to her name, the gum-chomping CBC Newsworld personality's record at the world championships is one for five. By Canadian standards, that's embarrassing and Jones knows that. She would probably trade in two or three of her Scott crowns in exchange for a perfect record in world play.

So as the Halifax skip prepares to open today at the Ford World Curling Championships in Gavle, Sweden, getting that monkey off her back is the only thing that matters. The 44-year-old is motivated like never before.

"There is no prize there for coming second in the world. I guess that's a lucky thing when you play a sport where the expectations are that high," Jones said in an interview before leaving for Sweden. "In curling it's 'win it all or you've failed.' You know that going in."

Jones has the dubious distinction of being the only Canadian women's skip not to make the playoffs. At her first appearance at the worlds in 1982, she finished fifth. In 1999, the first of four trips with her current lineup of third Kim Kelly, second Mary-Anne Arsenault and lead Nancy Delahunt, they were fifth again. Jones says the team suffered that year from an "imposter syndrome" because they couldn't believe they actually won the Scott.

In 2001 at Lausanne, Switzerland, the team won their one and only gold. But 2002 was another letdown: fourth place. Jones attributes this to the team being down about having to curl in Bismarck, N.D., where the worlds were being played.

Last year in Winnipeg, the team lost a heartbreaker in the final to Debbie McCormick of the United States. It was their only loss of the week. Jones says they were so relieved just to make it to the final they simply ran out of gas.

"The past is the past but you need some of those bad experiences in order to get better," Jones said. "Some people take those bad experiences and don't use them to get better. But if you use them ... you'll be a better team. I think that's what we've done this year. I'm really proud of us for saying, 'That's not good enough.' "

The loss in Winnipeg triggered a renewed commitment and a determination to improve. While some curlers with her laundry list of accomplishments might have just packed it in, Jones was driven to work harder. She had unfinished business.

Jones knew there had to be changes. Her overly defensive style of play didn't mesh with the four-rock rule, which had been in place at the world level for years but was only adopted in Canada last year. So she became more aggressive with her strategy.

The team looked to coach Ken Bagnell for guidance and he has worked with them on the psychological aspect of the game.

"Ken knows we have had issues at the worlds. I think he maybe looked at last year's worlds and said, 'Here's where they're weak from a mental point and here's what we have to work on," Jones said.

This year's women's field is very strong and if Jones is going to take home the top prize, she will have to beat a field where at least five teams have a shot at gold.

If Jones and her team can play as well as they did at the Scott in February, there is little doubt they will reach the final. Despite the long layoff, Jones says the team is ready. Their shotmaking has improved. Their strategy is better. They are mentally tougher. The fire is in the belly.

But this time, can they close the deal?

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