Human Kinetics student joins Gryphons women’s curling team at nationals

After facing 16 university teams in Sudbury from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, Liana Flanagan, a second-year Human Kinetics student, will be headed to Lethbridge, Alberta with the Gryphons women’s curling team to represent the U of G at the national U Sports Curling Championships.

The team, which includes Jillian Uniacke (skip), Abbey Parkinson (vice), Liana (second), Monica Tanguay (lead), and Sarah Woodward (alternate), defeated Algoma, Ontario Tech, Waterloo – a big win for the team – and Queens for a podium finish and a spot at the championships.

Originally from a small town near Ottawa, Liana was recruited to Guelph by a coach who saw her potential. She’s been playing the sport since the age of 12, starting with Ottawa’s RCMP Curling Club. Now she juggles several practices a week, and games on the weekends, with the Guelph team, as well as a junior team, along with a full courseload.

As a second, she gets to throw a lot of big weight shots to clear the rocks and set the house for her team’s next shots. She also gets to sweep for the last, most important throws of the game. Kira Brunton, who plays on Team Inglis out of Ottawa and is now competing at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, was a mentor and mental coach for Liana in her earlier years in the sport.

“The game is as mental as it is physical. There’s a lot of pressure and thinking about the game involved,” she says.

Liana is looking forward to the championship game, visiting Alberta for the first time, and to seeing old friends and fellow competitors.

“Curling is a small community, because you’re only four on a team, so you get to develop very personal relationships with your teammates,” she says. “I like how friendly the competition is as well. Whether you win or lose, you always say good game after and sometimes you’ll even sit down with the team. It’s a very friendly sport.”