2009 will tell the Olympic tale for this talented Bernard foursome based out of Calgary, Alberta. A hectic cross-county schedule will lead them to the 2009 Pre-Olympic Trials in November, qualifying four teams for the final 2009 Olympic Curling Trials in December. Also on the radar – representing Alberta at the Scott Tournament of Hearts, curling in the Canada Cup and placing in the top five on the World Curling Tour. Let’s meet the women vying to wear the maple leaf in Vancouver, 2010!
Cheryl Bernard (skip), Susan’s O’Connor (third), Carolyn Darbyshire McRorie (second), and Cori Bartel (lead) graciously answered some of our Real Woman on the Run queries about juggling a life on the road with careers and families back home.
Describe your schedule, on and off season.
Our on-season schedule is crazy! From September to December we are on the road, with events one after the other and times when we are away from home for long stretches. This schedule is very hard on family, friends and regular work. Luckily, the support we have enables us to do this without the guilt. (Recipe for this, please!)
Our off season is pretty much spent meeting once a month while we are back at our regular jobs, and then we all ramp up our physical training, catch up with our family and spend some well deserved time with friends.
Tell us about your motto: Learn from the past. Prepare for the future. Perform in the present.
Cheryl chose the motto when the team was creating our website. It was so simple, yet so true! We talk a lot about being in the present, trying not to look too far ahead and not focusing on the outcome. The motto works well for our team!
How do you stay focused on a goal which is a distance away (in time)?
We always laugh that the carrot has to be dangling quite close for us to really become focused on it. So we just perform in the present; we challenge each other on the ice to get better and we constantly work on our game. We are all very competitive individuals, so it doesn’t take much to focus on the short term goal of winning an event or game.
So what’s a girl to do when she’s not at the rink?
With a background in Political Science, Cori now works for the Friday Professional Group as a professional recruiter. She loves her job! The entrepreneur Cheryl owned her own insurance business for thirteen years, and sold it five years ago to focus on 2010. Susan is employed as a Respiratory Technician at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary. She wants to work as hard as (she) can and then enjoy the ride! Carolyn and her husband own Canadian Decal Installers in Calgary, with locations also in Edmonton, Vancouver and now Toronto. She oversees logistics, payroll, payables and receivables for the company, working out of the house so that she can continue to curl and be home for the kids when they get out of school.
How does your team stay connected, get along and continue to appreciate one another? We enjoy curling with each other! There are many teams out there that don’t have the chemistry we have. Over the years we have developed a common work ethic, respect for each other and a desire for a certain level of play and commitment that we all have… to our sport, family and friends.
How has technology changed the game of curling over the past years?
Technology (especially the blackberry and internet) have made both work and staying in touch on the road much easier than before. Because of the Olympics, curling has become almost a full-time job, which made it challenging for family and job commitments. Compared to other Olympic nations, Canada is behind in this aspect, as we don’t allow our teams with Olympic potential (ie. the top 5) to compete full-time like other countries do. China, the United States and Japan are all supported full-time by their countries; none of those curlers have to have other employment, as they are paid to curl. Canada might do well to adopt the same procedure for the next Olympics, as many feel we are spreading our funds and our athletes too thin.
What would it mean to represent Canada at home in 2010?
There would not be any words that could quite describe it. However, we have all decided that the Olympic goal isn’t everything, and that we are going to enjoy the ride along the way. Team Bernard – there are real women cheering all the way!
Cheryl Bernard (42)
| What’s in your fridge? | Not enough, expired milk, expired yogurt and 2 week old lettuce. |
| Organizational tip to share? | Own a blackberry, it’s a lifesaver! |
| Favorite article of clothing in your closet right now? | Jeans… my life is jeans and I own probably 25 pairs. You have to have specific jeans for the ‘fat’ days, ‘frumpy’ days, ‘skinny’ days and ‘sexy’ days! |
| Strength? | My addictive personality. It keeps me training hard and practicing for my sport. |
| Weakness? | My addictive personality. I like London Fogs, twizzlers and red wine! |
| Who is the ultimate RWotR that you know? | All of my girlfriends with children impress me to no end. I don’t have children of my own and I am amazed at how much they can do in a day. It’s the most important job; the responsibility to raise these kids the right way is huge. |
| How do you stay healthy? | Twice a week my personal trainer kicks my ass, and then cardio 4 times a week. My dog, with those big sad brown eyes, begging for his daily walk, keeps me healthy. |
| Health tip? | Get regular massages! My massage therapist is an incredible masseuse and part time counselor. As women we don’t do enough for ourselves. |
Susan’s O’Connor (31)
| What’s in your fridge? | Nothing but condiments |
| What did your mother teach you? | NHow to be smart with money |
| Best read lately? | I just finished “The Power of One” |
| Favorite article of clothing in your closet right now? | Canada Hoodie |
| Favorite way to relax? | Having a bath or a glass of red wine…sometimes both at the same time. |
| Diamonds or pearls? | Definitely diamonds….I just got engaged. |
| What fills your cup? | Travel |
| Who is the ultimate RWotR that you know? | Probably Carolyn our second |
| Pet Peeve? | People that are closed-minded and people that spit in public |
| How much sleep do you get a night? | Anywhere from 5 to 8 hours |
| Favorite movie of all time? | Water/Little Miss Sunshine/Bridget Jones Diary |
| What are you most proud of? | Being financially independent…buying my own house |
| What do you do best? | EAT! |
Carolyn Darbyshire McRorie (45)
| Any Words of Wisdom? | Live life to the fullest, enjoy each moment with your kids as they grow so quickly, but ensure that you do something for yourself also. |
| Your daily moment of joy? | listening to my kids tell me about their day |
| Time saving tip? | put things away immediately |
| Significant Event? | the birth of my daughter Alexandria |
| Pet Peeve? | people speeding through the playground zones |
| How do you stay healthy? | get on my elliptical |
| How much sleep do you get a night? | about 6 hours at home – 8 hours on the road |
| Last Self Breast Exam? | just last week |
| Favorite book of all time? | Last Lecture |
| What are you most proud of? | my stepson Shea, he keeps going no matter his trials |
| What’s for dinner? | Tonight – something from the airport as we are off to curl! |
Cori Bartel (37)
| What inspires you? | A mountain view with a wheat field in the forefront – it combines my roots (Saskatchewan) with my present (Alberta). |
| What did your mother teach you? | That it’s worth spending money on good quality shoes. |
| Most hated housework chore? | Cooking – and you have to do it multiple times a day! |
| Favorite article of clothing in your closet right now? | A brand new leather jacket that I found at Vespucci for a steal of a deal. |
| Goal for yourself? | Eat more fruit and veggies, and less chocolate. |
| How much sleep do you get a night? | When we’re at home, probably an average of seven hours. I get more when we’re on the road competing, and I love every extra minute! |
| Last Full Physical? | About a year ago. Thanks for the reminder! |
| Favorite movie of all time? | Life is Beautiful, by Roberto Benigni |
| Favorite book of all time? | The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho |
| Hope for the world? | That we learn to enjoy and respect our differences. |
~ Interview and article 2009 by Darlene Wilson ~
~ Photos submitted by Cheryl Bernard ~
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Epic, thanks for posting Meet Team Bernard Women of the ICE | Real Woman!
Excellent. Thanks so much for the post. -Kate