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For Penny Barker, there’s no place like home.
Barker, who has lived around Moose Jaw her whole life, has curled out of there her entire career, always with dreams of seeing her name raised among the other curling champions from the Friendly City.
“I guess I’m a homebody. It’s great. It was huge in terms of you grow up and see the banners that get hung up at the curling club,” Barker said. “You had Rod Montgomery, Cindy Street, Amber Holland and Pat Simmons on that wall, (and) my brother (Dane Roy). Someday you want to be hanging on that wall too.”
Barker did just that in 2017, when she won the Viterra Saskatchewan Scotties Tournament of Hearts for the first time.
“It was fantastic the first time to get that banner. It’s that sense of pride of playing out of your hometown. It’s amazing,” Barker said.
But after that win, it took her rink five years to get back to the top. The team won the provincial title again in 2022.
“If you had asked me six years ago whether I would have won it twice at this point, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Barker said. “It just feels like such a huge accomplishment, so I feel proud of that. But that took a lot of hard work.
“There are so many great teams in Saskatchewan, so to do it a couple times is amazing and I would love nothing more than an opportunity to get back to the national Scotties and do even better.”
The 37-year-old Barker and her rink will look to win their third provincial crown this week in Estevan at Affinity Place, where the championship will be handed out Sunday. The rink remains the same from the 2022 edition, with lead Danielle Sicinski, second Jenna Enge, and third Christie Gamble.
“A few more years under our belts of experience always helps but we just try to approach it the same way we would any year and not put too much pressure on ourselves,” Barker said. “There is already enough with just making your shots. Just take that away and focus on the little things.
“I think it always helps to feel what it feels like to win and knowing what it took last year, it gives you that added perspective. It’s nice that it happened last year but last year doesn’t win this year.”
Things didn’t get off to the best start for Barker at the tournament; she lost her opener Thursday morning, falling 8-7 to Ashley Howard.
The winner of the Saskatchewan Scotties will don the province’s colours at the national tournament, Feb. 17-26 in Kamloops.
Barker’s team went 4-4 at the 2022 edition of the Scotties, coming up a win short of qualifying for the playoffs.
“We had a couple games we would have liked to play a little better but ultimately, we had a great tournament and we were right there with the team,” Barker said.
“Getting back there, we know a little bit more of what to expect and what we need to continue to work on. Given that opportunity, we’re ready to go and are excited to take that on again.
“You never know when you’re going to get back, so you want to make sure you use those opportunities — every one you get — because you never know.”
While Barker’s rink has enjoyed a good 2022 season with three Saskatchewan Women’s Curling Tour wins, she said none of that matters once you get to the provincial showdown.
“It’s nice knowing that we can put lots of great games together and lots of great shots together and I think that gives us some extra confidence going in,” Barker said. “Ultimately it is one shot, one game, one day at a time and just trying to put yourself in the best position you can heading into the weekend.
“Yesterday’s shots don’t win today’s games. You put that behind you and it was all in preparation for this event.”
