THUNDER BAY – The Andrea Kelly experiment is over.
Team McCarville on Friday announced the New Brunswick curler has chosen to leave the four-time defending Northern Ontario rink to spend more time with family.
Kelly, who has made 13 Scotties Tournament of Hearts appearances over the years, including the past two with Team McCarville, played third for the team, which also includes skip Krista McCarville, lead Sarah Potts and seconds Ashley Sippala and Kendra Lilly, who lives in Sudbury.
Kelly, who turns 40 in July, joined the team at certain events during the course of the season and flew to Thunder Bay for practice sessions a couple of times each season she was with the team.
The team played using a five-person rotation, with Lilly, Sippala and Potts subbing in and out of the lineup.
The team is still hopeful of garnering an invitation to the Olympic Pre-Trials in Wolfville, N.S., with a spot in the Olympic Trials that follow in Halifax.
“While it’s hard to see her go, we are deeply grateful for the incredible memories we’ve shared. Her presence both on and off the ice has meant so much to us and she will be truly missed. We will be cheering on Andreas in whatever her curling career holds next,” the team posted to its official Facebook page.
Kelly was added to the team in hopes of helping it get over the hump at the Scotties, where they had twice finished in the runner-up position.
After her final match at this year’s Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Thunder Bay, McCarville couldn’t give a definitive answer, hinting that if the team managed to snag a Pre-Trials spot, it might make the decision easier.
“Honestly, we committed to two years, knowing that the Scotties were going to be here in Thunder Bay. We didn’t really talk about beyond because we just had a commitment with some sponsors. We had a commitment with the Scotties here,” McCarville said.
“We’re hoping to get a pre-trials spot.”
Team McCarville is currently ranked 15th in the Canadian Team Ranking System, but Laurie St-Georges, ranked 14th, will not be at the trials.
Rick Lang, the team’s coach, said the goal is to be inside the top 15. There is one event left, the Players Championship, in which players can earn points.
Eight women’s teams and eight men’s teams will compete at the Trials, which get underway in Halifax. Scotties champion Rachel Homan and four-time champion Kerri Einarson have pre-qualified for the trials on the women’s side. Brad Gushue and Sault Ste. Marie’s Brad Jacobs will skip teams on the men’s side.
