By Roger White

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS

Silvernagle foursome ready for next step

Nov 25, 2023 | 8:00 AM

As the 2023-24 curling season begins to ramp up for the Robyn Silvernagle rink, many curling fans around Saskatchewan are wondering if this is her team’s year.

For the past five years the Silvernagle Squad, which represents the Twin Rivers Curling Club in North Battleford has been on the cusp of reaching its goal, the BKT World Women’s Curling Championships, only to fall short.

The foursome, which consists of Kara Thevenot (lead), Chaelynn Kitz (second), Kelly Schafer (third), and skip Robyn Silvernagle are competing this weekend at the Nutana SaskTour Women’s Spiel in Saskatoon, a tournament in which they have had success in recent years.

“We’re looking forward to the competition,” said Silvernagle. “Each tournament presents its challenges, and we know that the caliber of the teams we are going to face over the next few months will be like nothing we have seen before.”

This year, the Silvernagle rink has taken a different approach in preparing for the long grind of the curling season; limiting the number of events the team played in to begin the season and concentrating on conditioning and practice to hone their skills for upcoming competitions.

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“The curling season can take its toll on you. The past few years, especially with COVID-19, have been extremely challenging and we just wanted to make sure that down the stretch we were in the best shape both physically and mentally to compete against those elite teams both here in Saskatchewan and across the country.” Silvernagle added.

The three-time Viterra Scotties Tournament of Hearts champions (2019, 2020 & 2023) know that every team at every bonspiel will be looking to knock off the defending provincial champions. Lead Kara Thevenot says she welcomes the challenge.

“We know we’ve got a target on our backs because everyone wants to win,” noted Thevenot. “We certainly cannot take anything for granted because at every bonspiel, the competition is more intense.”

Aside from Robyn Silvernagle, Thevenot, who hails from Prince Albert, is the longest-serving member of the foursome. The duo has been teammates off and on since 2010-11 and while she and Robyn have had both success and heartbreak on the pebbled ice together as a tandem when the chips are down, her money is on Silvernagle.

“When the game is on the line and you need that one shot to win the game, there is no one I’d rather have throwing the last rock than Robyn (Silvernagle).”

What makes the success of the Silvernagle rink so amazing over the past five years is the fact the team’s line-up is constantly changing. Last season, Sherry Just filled the second stone position but opted to form her own team for the 2023-24 season. When looking to fill the void left by the Just departure, Silvernagle approached Chaelynn Kitz who for the past three seasons has been second shot for Saskatchewan curling legend Sherry Anderson’s Saskatoon rink.

“We knew what Chaelynn (Kitz) brought to the table both with her experience and her passion for curling,” said Silvernagle. “I was thrilled when she agreed to join us this year.”

Kitz, from Oxbow, says that she is excited for the stretch run to get to the Viterra Scotties this year and possibly beyond.

“I believe we have the right chemistry on this team to really have a special season,” she told battlefordsNOW. “I have had the opportunity to play against Robyn and her teams in the past and every game is a battle so I’m really looking forward to being a part of it.”

The final piece of the puzzle is veteran Kelly Schafer, the third rock on the team. Originally from Scotland, Schafer joined the Silvernagle squad last season following the departure of Kristen Streifel.

Schafer brings a wealth of curling expertise to the team having competed both nationally and internationally, while making two appearances at the Olympics representing Team Scotland in Turin Italy in 2006 and Team Great Britain in 2010 in Vancouver.

“I’m looking forward to getting a chance to get back to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts this season,” Schafer said. “We certainly did not have the desired outcome we wanted last season in Kamloops at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, but I know those ladies are determined to get to the next level and I’m so excited to be a part of it.”

Throughout this upcoming curling season battlefordsNOW will continue to follow the Silvernagle rink’s journey including an exclusive four-part in-depth look at each member of the team beginning in December.

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com