National playdowns about more than wins and losses for Team Nunavut at Scotties

MISSISSAUGA – Retired lead Colin Hodgson has been through the rigours of chasing victories at the elite curling level.

Now coach of Nunavut’s team at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, he’s focused on a bigger picture — representation — at the national championships.

A longtime player in Manitoba during his competitive playing days, Hodgson is working with an Iqaluit-based team that’s skipped by Julia Weagle and includes Sadie Pinksen, Leigh Gustafson and Alison Taylor.

“What they want to do is to prove that people from the north can really showcase on a national level as well,” Hodgson said. “The population might be small, but the motivation is very high.

“The team is here to grow the sport in the north.”

Weagle guided the team to an 8-5 win over Prince Edward Island’s Amanda Power on opening weekend for the territory’s first victory at this event since 2020.

“Our team goal coming in was to get a win,” Gustafson said. “And so we’re very happy to finally have that after six years.”

Nunavut made its Scotties debut in 2016 but didn’t make it out of the qualifying draw that was used that year.

The Nunavut Curling Association didn’t send a team to the 2024 Scotties, citing a smaller pool of competitive players and the temporary closure of the territory’s lone active curling facility.

The four-sheet Iqaluit Curling Club was used as a backup location for a television production ahead of the territorial playdowns.

After returning to the Scotties last year, Nunavut entered play at Paramount Fine Foods Centre with a 4-54 all-time record at the nationals. Weagle fell to 1-6 this year after dropping a 10-5 decision to New Brunswick’s Melodie Forsythe on Wednesday.

“Our team goal has always been — and I think forever will be — to be a good representation of Nunavut,” Gustafson said. “Do the best that we can for the territory, especially the juniors, and be a good role model for them.

“And I think the fact that we’re staying in all these games and we are continuously improving over the week is achieving that goal really well.”

The Scotties and the Montana’s Brier use 18-team fields. All 14 provincial/territorial associations are represented along with three pre-qualified teams and a Canada entry for the defending champion.

“Without the Scotties (format) being the way it is, people might not ever be able to see a group from this area who can compete on a national level with amazing teams like Christina Black (and) Kerri Einarson (and others),” said Hodgson.

“So we’re here to incrementally get better and to compete in every game and not quit at any point.”

Hodgson, 35, stepped back from competitive men’s team play in 2023 after six career Brier appearances. The Red Lake, Ont., resident is relishing the opportunity to stay involved in the sport at this level.

“It’s just really nice to work with such a great, motivated group of young women who want to better themselves and who put in the effort, who appreciate the crowd, appreciate the fans, appreciate what the Scotties is,” he said.

Nunavut will close out its schedule Thursday morning against Manitoba’s Beth Peterson.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2026.