Kenora resident receives Joan Mead Builder’s Award

THUNDER BAY — A Kenora woman was honoured today with the Joan Mead Builder’s Award for the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

The award — named in honour of the late CBC curling producer Joan Mead — was presented by Kruger Products and recognizes a builder in curling from the annual tournament’s host community.

Curling Canada’s Officer of Sport Safety and Education, Jennifer Ferris, presented the 2025 award to Andrea Ronnebeck.

Ronnebeck, a member of the council and an ambassador with Women in Curling, is a lifelong resident of Northern Ontario and has coached athletes of all levels for more than 40 years.

She said she couldn’t believe she won the award.

“I just feel like my passion started with my mother. My mother was a very competitive curler and got me involved very early,” said Ronnebeck.

“There are so many people that have helped ignite and keep the passion lit within me and I’ve just tried to pass that along and I never even anticipated that that would be something to be acknowledged with such an amazing award. So, I was just so excited.”

The achievement is awarded annually at the tournament to someone who has contributed to the development of curling in the country, whether it’s teaching curling, developing new coaches or participating in competition.

“Just something that promotes the sport and tries to get more people involved and increase the enjoyment and the participation,” said Ronnebeck.

Ronnebeck has been a team coach at five Scotties Tournaments of Hearts, served as team leader for Curling Canada’s junior teams at world championships and coached at dozens of development camps globally. 

She is also a Certified Master Coach Developer, a Certified Level 4 Curling Coach and an active contributor to Curling Canada’s coach education programming.

She said her biggest hope is that out of this year’s tournament, people will see more female coaches actually coaching at the Scotties.

“One big hope of mine is tied to the two events yesterday,” said Ronnebeck.

“The Girls Rock, I’d love to see some of those girls start to participate in the sport in a regular way and the female coaches that we worked with yesterday afternoon, I’m hoping to see them thrive, become more confident and maybe see them behind the bench one day at a Scotties.”

After retiring as Education Manager with the Ontario Curling Council, Ronnebeck actively coaches at her home club in Kenora.

She said she has definitely seen the number of girls who start in the sport and then drop out at puberty, matching the statistics remarked on during the Women in Curling Connect event.

However, she added that they are working hard to address them and seeing a positive impact.

“In my town in Kenora, what I have seen is where there were no high school women’s teams, there are now high school women’s teams,” said Ronnebeck.

“And a lot of it has to do with getting the rocks and rinks programs into the schools and then an increase in elementary students coming and curling in Kenora in our own little club, we now have 25 curlers in elementary school age, so that has been some growth.”

Ronnebeck added that she hopes fans are enjoying the tournament.