Women in Curling Connect Conference highlights community feel at the Scotties

The Women in Curling Executive Council hosted the Women in Curling Connect Conference at the Valhalla Hotel and Conference Centre in Thunder Bay, Ont., Sunday morning.

The event attracted around 40 registrants eager to listen and share stories about their experiences in the world of sport. The morning was focused on celebrating the sense of belonging and community in women’s curling at all levels.

“It’s remarkable when you bring women together in a room from all walks of curling experience because amazing things happen,” said Elaine Dagg-Jackson, Women in Curling Executive Chair. “You bring them together, and these special moments happen; they share stories, they know they’re in a safe place, and they really find a place to belong. It gets better every year.”

Sunday’s event was the first time registration was open to everyone, with the goal of diversifying the voices in the room.

Jill Officer, six-time Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion, Olympic gold medallist, and keynote speaker for the event, opened the morning discussing her emotional and mental journey after winning gold at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games.

“No one told me how to be an Olympic medallist,” said Officer when reflecting on the public attention she received after returning from Sochi. She continued to return to the value of community in curling and her unwavering passion for the sport.

Dr. Heather Mair from the University of Waterloo echoed similar praises for the curling community’s welcoming environment when she spoke later in the morning. Mair described a “loneliness epidemic” that can be combatted by joining social events such as curling and commended the ongoing belonging and friendship she’s witnessed throughout her time working in the sport.

The morning wrapped up with The Joy of Curling Panel: Melissa Soligo, Jill Groves, Cori Morris, and Heather Houston, who discussed the welcoming, family-like atmosphere of curling. The panel offered their thoughts on increasing participation in curling and working to create a better path for women in sport who may not always be on the top of the podium.

On Saturday evening, Women in Curling hosted the annual Scotties Legends Reception at the Fort William Curling Club, bringing together past provincial champions from Northern Ontario, the host Member Association of the 2025 Scotties, to celebrate and reconnect. The event honoured the legacy of the athletes, with former curlers arriving with memorabilia from their Scotties days and sharing stories of their first national competition.

The weekend was nothing short of a success, with an impressive turnout for Saturday’s Girls Rock presented by Scotties and Coaches Rock: Project Confidence events.

On Jan. 27, the council hosted its annual Women in Curling Connect Webinar. During the webinar, the Janet Arnott Exceptional Coach Award was presented to Wendy Morgan to recognize her exceptional contributions to the sport of curling and her successes on the global stage as a coach.

The Women in Curling Connect Conference is supported by the World Curling Development Assistance Programme.