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Sports Oakville Beaver By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 2009 25 Reddick, teammates optimistic this is their year I t may not be their home rink anymore, but Julie Reddick and her team will certainly have home-ice advantage at the Ontario Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Reddick, Stephanie Leachman and Leigh Armstong teamed up to win three Ontario junior curling titles, the last two while curling out of the Oakville Curling Club, which plays host to this year's provincial women's championship that begins Monday. "It's our home club, even though we're playing out of Brantford," said Reddick. "We know everyone and we're happy to be going there. We know the ice." Vying for its first women's title, the Reddick rink will need to take advantage of any edge it can with a talented field that includes three former champions that have combined to win the Ontario crown eight times (Sherry Middaugh, four; Alison Goring, three; Jenn Hanna, one). The longtime trio added veteran curler JoAnn Rizzo to its rink three years ago and Reddick hopes this will be the team's breakthrough year. "This is our fourth or fifth (Scotties)," Reddick said. "Every year you're able to get a little more experience." Prior to throwing their first rocks, Reddick, Leachman and Armstrong took some time to divulge some of the secrets of curling and the Ontario Scotties. OAKVILLE BEAVER FILE PHOTO to bring our own rocks. Probably illegal brooms. What makes a broom illegal? JR: Honestly, I don't know, but they do check them. I don't know what would make them better. LA: We're like the most honest sport going. Nobody cheats anybody. What would be the performance-enhancing drug of choice for curlers? SL: Beer. Who is your most famous friend on Facebook? JR: I'm going to have to say Jamie Korab, Stephanie's boyfriend. He won the Olympic gold. SL: I can't have the same answer as Julie. Is that going to cause any problems? SL: Yeah, maybe I'll stick with Jamie. Julie, what subject that you took at OT helps you the most with curling? JR: For a laugh, I'll go with Grade 9 English. My boyfriend's mother taught that class and she's also on the volunteer committee (for the tournament). You're the only person to skip three Ontario junior women's champions. JR: Really? Yes. JR: Ever? Yes. JR: Wow, I didn't even know that. What would your teammates say if I ask them to finish this sentence: Julie definitely holds the record for... JR: I'm sure they'd love to answer that one. SL: I'll say most hours of studying. LA: I'd say most runbacks made by a junior curler. If you had to form a rink of noncurlers and you could have anyone you wanted on your team, who would your recruit? JR: Probably just all my girlfriends. SL: I'll go with Barack Obama, for music Enrique Iglesias and Britney Spears. How would Britney and Barack get along? SL: Oh, they'd be fine. He's a cool guy. Sweeping, does it really do anything or are you trying to stay warm? Julie Reddick: No, it does a lot. The front end is probably more inclined to tell you that. They work really hard and they're in good shape. It does help. Leigh Armstrong: It keeps the rocks going straight and Stephanie and I definitely feel it by the end of the week, that's for sure. Stephanie Leachman: And it keeps us warm. Who on your team is the least likely to be found sweeping at home? JR: Oh god, that's a difficult one. I don't know, probably me. LA: Probably me. Who is the most likely to be found throw- Next week's Scotties Tournament of Hearts will be a homecoming of sorts for (left to right) Stephanie Leachman, Leigh Armstrong and Julie Reddick. The three used to curl out of the Oakville Curling Club as juniors, when they won three provincial championships. ing rocks? JR: I don't want to insult anyone. Do I have to answer that one? SL: Leigh. LA: I'd say Jo-Ann. Have you ever lost your voice from yelling? JR: Yes, several times. Especially after a long week and with the cold air. Is there a penalty for being caught with Kleenex at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts? SL: Yes. You have to streak across the ice. Jo-Ann's bio says she started curling in 1979, before any of you were born. How often do you remind her of that? JR: We try not to do it too often. She brings a lot of experience. We don't need to remind her. LA: This will be her 16th Scotties, but she's in better shape than all of us. Baseball has spitballs and corked bats. What's curling's dirty little secret in terms of getting an advantage? SL: Taking people out with your broom -- the Nancy Kerrigan. JR: That's a tough one. We're not allowed St. James hopes to raise more than $3,000 through hoops tourney St. James School's second annual basketball tournament is living up to its name. The Cup of Hope, a two-day event for both boys and girls that will take place Monday and Tuesday, has organizers hoping to surpass the $2,950 that was raised last year for the Canadian Cancer Society. The tournament is a Grade 8 class initiative as part of the sacramental preparation for Confirmation. Students get involved filling many of the volunteer positions, making signs, selling food and manning the Canadian Cancer Society booth, where they sell Footprints for Hope. Students' literacy projects are also tied into the event, raising awareness about cancer, and are on display throughout the school. St. James teacher Tony Cacciola said he was not surprised by the response to last year's tournament. "It's a disease that has touched everyone," Cacciola said. "Everyone knows somebody who has been affected by cancer." Local business stepped up to donate and help make last year's event a success and that has continued this year. Among those making contributions are: · Longo's donated pink and yellow T-shirts for teams to wear in the tournament finals · Fitness Fanatix made a monetary donation · Toppers Pizza donated pizza vouchers · Sid's Trophies donated the plaques and medals · Tilton Industries donated Raptors tickets for a raffle · Teachers, principals and staff from throughout the board are also volunteering to referee games "It shows what Catholic education is all about and it shows what we can achieve when people come together," Cacciola said. "It's a sign of unity, of the community coming together. An eight-team boys' tournament will be played Monday and eight girls' teams will compete Tuesday. The event has spread from beyond the Halton boundaries with teams from Brampton and the Halton/Peel boards participating in this year's event. Cacciola said the rise in interest -- he had a waiting list for both tournaments -- has him considering expanding the competition next year. He's not surprised it has become so popular. "Not only is a celebration of (students') talents, but they're also playing for a cause," he said. Games will begin both days at 9 a.m. and finish around 8 p.m. -- Herb Garbutt