Shades of ‘competitive cop’ exists within WCI skip Schaeffer’s ‘good cop’ approach

WCI boys curling vice Avery Howell (left) takes a glance at skip Alex Chiles, while she and teammate Andrew Surette (right) sweeps a Red Devils stone down the ice. (Jeff Tribe Photo)

Jeff Tribe, Echo Correspondent

A bit of ‘competitive cop’ might exist behind Woodstock CI Red Devils girls curling skip Alexis Schaeffer’s ‘good cop’ approach.

The first half of her pre-game statement, encouraging teammates to ‘Just go out and do their best’ is 100 per cent sincere. But according to vice Lauren Ellis, there’s a little wiggle room on the back end about Schaeffer ‘Not caring if we win or lose.’

“I know her,” Ellis laughed, “she’s seriously like, ‘I want to win, I want to win.’”

Wishing to perform well is not a bad thing Schaeffer countered with a smile, and relative at that.

“You think I’m bad - wait until Grace (Curley, WCI’s second skip) comes.”

The Red Devils’ shared pursuit of excellence has been rewarded through the first four weeks of the TVRA South East season, a perfect 4-0 win-lossrecord, 22 ends won and 46 points for, versus four against. Their record includes an 11-0 win over St. Thomas Central Elgin, 13-1 against Aylmer East Elgin and a tighter 8-2 success with Woodstock St. Mary’s. WCI’s fourth win came Wednesday, December 18th at the Ingersoll Curling Club, a nifty fourth-end last-rock draw by St. Thomas Parkside Stampeders skip Clara Gunn preventing a clean sweep. Schaffer responded with a draw for five in the fifth, adding a steal of one in the sixth to round a 14-1 final.

Eight female curlers are moved in and out of the lineup, including Cassandra Stewart, Taylor Leis, Sarah Porter, Cassandra DeWitt and Megan Howe.

The 2023 version of the Red Devils, including Schaeffer, finished third at WOSSAA last season, and according to Ellis, hopes to both upgrade and advance beyond regional finals this season.

“I want a (provincial final OFSAA) sweater,” Schaeffer explained.

The WCI boys were also in action, earning a considerably tighter 8-7 victory over the Stampeders, a margin defined both in terms of scoring separation and a crucial fifth-end measurement that counted a fourth Red Devils stone.

“It was like a millimetre difference - (but) a point is a point,” said vice Avery Howell, competing on the boys’ team due to a shortage there, and the increased playing time her choice represents over the girls’ rotation. Under league rules, girls can play on boys teams, but not vice versa, and Howell joins a squad including Grade 9 front end Harry Langford and Andrew Surette.

Skip Alex Chiles’ had hit a guard with his last shot, spilling two stones into the house as counters. The resultant ‘four’ gave WCI an 8-3 lead at the time, which stood up through Parkside singles in the sixth and seventh, and a final-end steal of two by skip Nate Vanderhoeven.

“Every end was pretty close, so I liked that,” said Chiles.

The WCI boys also sat in first place in the TVRA South East standings as of the Christmas break, with a 2-2 won-lost record. Chiles’ seasonal goals, like Schaeffer’s, are to extend the team’s post-season through WOSSAA and beyond.

“Gotta keep that positive attitude,” he concluded.

TVRA South East Girls Curling

Friday, January 10

Ingersoll DCI 6, Aylmer East Elgin 3

St. Thomas Parkside 7, Woodstock Huron Park 3

Woodstock St. Mary’s CHS 6, Tillsonburg Glendale 3

Ingersoll DCI 8, St. Mary’s 0

Wednesday, January 8

Woodstock CI 8, Ingersoll DCI 4

St. Thomas Central Elgin 8, St. Mary’s 1

Woodstock Huron Park 6, Glendale 1

Wednesday, December 18

WCI 14, Parkside 1

Wednesday, December 11

Ingersoll DCI 8, Glendale 1

WCI 8, St. Mary’s CHS 2

Wednesday, December 4

St. Mary’s 6, Woodstock Huron Park 4

WCI 13, East Elgin 1

Wednesday, November 27

Ingersoll DCI 8, Parkside 3

East Elgin 6, Huron Park 2

WCI 11, Central Elgin 0

TVRA South East Boys Curling

Friday, January 10

Ingersoll DCI 8, St. Mary’s CHS 2

Woodstock St. Mary’s CHS 11, Tillsonburg Glendale 0

Aylmer East Elgin 9, Ingersoll DCI 3

Wednesday, January 8

St. Mary’s CHS 6, St. Thomas Central Elgin 3

Woodstock CI 7, Ingersoll DCI 6

Wednesday, December 14

WCI 8, Parkside 7

St. Mary’s CHS 5, East Elgin 5

Wednesday, December 11

Ingersoll DCI 10, Glendale 7

St. Mary’s 8, WCI 6

Wednesday, December 4

WCI 10, East Elgin 1

Wednesday, November 27

Central Elgin 8, WCI 3

Parkside 8, Ingersoll DCI 4