Family first: Manitoba skip Tracy Fleury confidently passes the reins to Chelsea Carey

Fleury is not going to be skipping her No. 2-ranked Manitoba staff contained in the Calgary bubble on the Scotties. Her 7-month-old daughter’s well being is the one factor that issues proper now.

“She’s just a bit sweetheart. She’s introduced a lot pleasure into our lives. I feel particularly since she grew to become sick, it is taught us much more to understand the small issues,” Fleury informed CBC Sports activities whereas holding again tears. “We’re simply attempting to take pleasure in each second.”

Fleury’s daughter Nina, born this previous July, has been recognized with a uncommon type of epilepsy, referred to as childish spasms. 

“She was having seizures in November and was hospitalized for eight days,” Fleury mentioned. “Now she’s on a therapy plan and is doing properly contemplating the whole lot.”

However these final variety of months have been harrowing for the first-time mom, barely excited about curling.

“There’s nonetheless a variety of uncertainty at this level. We’re ready on exams,” Fleury mentioned. “It is time to give attention to household proper now. Travelling proper now would not be in Nina’s greatest curiosity. It was the choice that needed to be made. My staff has been so supportive.”

She knew her staff nonetheless needed to be on the Scotties.

Little Nina has been seizure-free since November however Fleury needed to let her staff know properly prematurely of the Scotties she would not be attending. In order that they reached out to two-time Scotties champion and Manitoba-born skip Chelsea Carey. 

“My coronary heart hurts for Tracy. I am unable to think about what that is like for her. She needs to be there. And that is much more motivating for me,” Carey informed CBC Sports activities from her house in Calgary. 

“I want the circumstances had been means totally different. I want she may play. It is her staff. Nobody desires to return in, in that state of affairs. I am grateful for the chance to play and I am being included in it.”

Mutual respect

There’s a mutual respect between Carey and Fleury that goes far past the ice. They know one another properly, having battled so many occasions earlier than. However there’s been nothing like this. 

They usually each really feel the load of the state of affairs. 

“She’s performed a improbable job up to now,” Fleury mentioned. She’s becoming in very properly. We’re so grateful she’s entering into the position and she or he’s simply such a high-calibre skip.”

Carey has been doing the whole lot she will be able to to find out how the staff performs and the way she will be able to slot in since she first bought the decision — that features spending numerous hours watching movie from Staff Fleury’s previous video games. 

It is about all she will be able to do with restrictions holding her and plenty of others off the ice. 

“I believed I would be watching on TV. I had made my peace with that,” Carey mentioned. “I like the Scotties. I grew up watching it. It is the factor I dreamed about.”

She’s a fierce competitor who has gained the title twice. Born and raised in Winnipeg, Carey attended the Scotties first for her house province of Manitoba.

However each of her Scotties wins got here because the Alberta consultant. She moved to Calgary six years in the past and has been representing the wild rose province ever since. 

Apparently, each occasions she gained, it was within the first 12 months with a brand new staff. 

Deep connections

After her staff disbanded final season, she but once more finds herself with a brand new rink heading to a Scotties, and is hoping third time’s a appeal.

“My monitor report with first 12 months groups is fairly good. I do not know what’s totally different about that. Perhaps you are in a honeymoon section,” she mentioned. “First 12 months groups are one factor. You have already performed 10 occasions by that time. That is one thing fully totally different.”

It should take a little bit of adjusting however these gamers aren’t strangers to one another. Carey has private connections with every Fleury staff member. 

She’s performed alongside Fleury third, Selena Njegovan, and lead, Kristin MacCuish, at a Continental Cup earlier than. 

And second, Liz Fyfe, appears like household. 

Liz’s father, Vic Peters, and Carey’s father, Dan Carey, gained a Brier collectively for Manitoba in 1992. Peters died of most cancers on March 27, 2016 on the age of 61.

“They lived subsequent to us rising up. We moved into our home in 1991. They moved in a pair years later. We grew up taking part in Barbies, taking part in collectively as youngsters.”

And now they’re collectively once more. 

The staff has performed numerous video calls to arrange one of the best they’ll — Fleury has been on as lots of these calls as doable. 

“I really feel their love and help,” Fleury mentioned. 

“Proper now it is a good distraction for me following the staff. I am serving to with some Scotties prep right here and there. I will be cheering for them.”

It is not the best way Carey ever imagined getting again to a Scotties at this level of her curling profession. However it’s proper in entrance of her now, with the added strain of taking part in for not solely herself, however Fleury too. 

“I am humbled by the concept that it is not nearly me. That is at all times the case however this example, being what it’s, is an entire totally different feeling,” Carey asid. 

“I am honoured they requested me and I will attempt to reside as much as that. I will attempt to do them justice.”

The Scotties begins Friday, Feb. 19 and the championship sport shall be performed on Sunday, Feb. 28. The occasion shall be held contained in the Markin McPhail Centre — the Calgary curling bubble for the following couple of months.