Rebecca Jean MacPhee won't miss the weather in Prince Edward Island.
The sub-zero temperatures in her home province especially hit home when MacPhee heard the daffodils will likely be blooming in Victoria by the time the rocks start to roll at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts Canadian women's curling championship on Feb. 21 at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. The P.E.I. skip observed she probably has six feet of snow in her backyard.
"We've had tons of storms," MacPhee said. "We're looking forward to warmer weather.
"I can't wait."
The MacPhee team of Rebecca Jean's sister and third Robyn MacPhee -- Robyn throws last rocks, while Rebecca Jean calls the game -- second Shelley Muzika, and lead Tammi Lowther, is also looking forward to their first Scotties as a team.
They knocked off defending champ Suzanne Birt (formerly Suzanne Gaudet) 10-4 in the provincial semifinal, then etched a 9-7 victory, decided on a measurement, over Charlottetown clubmate Kim Dolan, who has come on board as coach.
For the last two years, Robyn, who's nine years younger than Rebecca Jean, has curled at the women's level with Birt. MacPhee and Birt were also teammates for two Canadian junior titles, and a world juniors crown in 2001. This year, Robyn wanted to try her hand at skipping, although she wasn't as keen about calling the game.
Rebecca-Jean, on the other hand, is appearing in her sixth Scotties tournament, her fourth as skip. She likes the new arrangement.
"I enjoy it, because I enjoy calling the game, and I've always loved playing third," she said, adding the quiet MacPhees have been bolstered by the lively Lowther, and fifth player, Nancy Cameron brings the experience of being in her eighth Scotties.
Both sisters have finished as high as third place in past Scotties, and Rebecca Jean isn't intimidated by her team's inability to get off the P.E.I. rock to find competition.
She's a pediatric nurse, Robyn is a technologist at Atlantic Veterinary College, Muzika is a controller for the Canadian Mental Health Association, and Lowther is also a nurse. With jobs and expense limiting travel, and just five competitive women's teams in the entire province, it's a case of practice making perfect.
Rebecca Jean hones her aggressive style by throwing rocks three to five days a week, and the team competes in a men's super league. In two local cashspiels this season, the MacPhee rink qualified in one, and won the other. Their first goal this season was winning the province, and the Scotties is next.
"It's all timing. It's who catches onto the ice, who plays well as a unit, and who has a little bit of luck behind them," Rebecca Jean said. "If you play well, anybody's beatable."
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IN THE HOUSE
- TEAM P.E.I.
Home club: Charlottetown Curling Club
Skip: Rebecca Jean MacPhee, 34, (calls game, throws third stones); sixth Scotties
Third: Robyn MacPhee, 25, (throws fourth stones); Fifth Scotties
Second: Shelley Muzika, 43; Fourth Scotties
Lead: Tammi Lowther, 42; First Scotties
Fifth: Nancy Cameron
Coach: Kim Dolan
Last Scotties appearance: First as a team
