Featured Curling Athlete: Laine Peters

When it comes to colourful curling outfits, Laine Peters has a closet that might be the envy of curlers across the country. Her current cashspiel outfit as the lead for Heather Nedohin’s Edmonton team features a shocking pink shirt and jacket emblazoned with various logos.

Laine Peters in action at the 2011 Capital One Canada Cup of Curling (Photo Michael Burns)

From her days living in Nova Scotia, she has a pile of provincial jackets from having played in three Scotties Tournament of Hearts representing that province, along with Canadian mixed championships (the last trip, in 2002, also produced a Canadian championship). As well, she has Team Canada jackets, which she earned as the fifth player for Colleen Jones’s powerhouse team from Halifax, which won the Canadian championship four times, and also captured the world championship in 2001 at Lausanne, Switzerland. And later this week at the Enmax Centrium in Red Deer, Alta., she’ll put on her first Alberta jacket when she opens play at the 2012 Scotties. In short, teams that have Peters aboard tend to win a lot. It will also be an historic trip to Red Deer for Peters and her teammates Nedohin, third Beth Iskiw and second Jessica Mair. Peters and Iskiw were teammates the last time the Tournament of Hearts was played in Red Deer, only they were playing for Heather Smith-Dacey’s Nova Scotia team. This will mark the first time teammates have ever played together for two different provinces. Since her move to Calgary, Peters has embraced the Southern Alberta curling lifestyle, entering and winning the legendary Nanton Mixed Meatspiel a couple years ago. Birthplace: Carrot River, Sask. Hometown: Calgary Curling Club: Saville Sports Centre/Calgary Curling Club Current Team: Team Nedohin Position: Lead Delivery: Right Nickname: LP Quick Hits with Laine Peters Do you have any superstitions? “No, but I’ve played with many people who do!!” Three people, living or not, whom you would invite to a dinner party. “Amy Nixon — she’d be great in the kitchen; who better to stir things up???; Derek Jeter — No. 2 in the program, No. 1 in my heart!; Terry Fator –— he makes me laugh, and cry!” If you could be a star any other sport, what would it be, and why? “Tennis; it’s fast paced — I love it!” If you could change any rule in curling, which one would it be, and why? “Change to thinking time, with an extra minute in the extra end (five minutes instead of four).” What music, if any, do you like to listen to before a game? “Rock.” Favourite: — Website? “www.google.ca.” — Order from Tim Hortons? “Toasted whole wheat bagel with strawberry cream cheese, vanilla yogurt and berries, and a bottle of water.” — Vacation destination? “St. Lucia or New Zealand.” — Junk food? “Lay’s ripple chips, sometimes with dill pickle dip.” Do you have any pet peeves? “Slow drivers; well, anything slow really! And people who walk directly in front of me without saying excuse me!” Person who had the most influence on your curling career. And why? “Nancy Delahunt. She shares her secrets, gives great advice, and is a huge supporter.” First thing on your Bucket List? “Attending Wimbledon or the U.S. Open with Nancy; we’ve been planning it for years!” Favourite pastime between draws at cashspiels? “Napping and then playing games — Blondes vs. Brunettes; the Blondes rule, of course!!” Mixed doubles in the Olympics — thumbs up? Thumbs down? And why? “Thumbs up; the more exposure to curling at the Olympics the better!” One thing most people don’t know about you? “I love theme parties!! (and some say I host good ones!).” Your ideal shot to win an Olympic gold medal: “A wide open hit that we don’t need to stick!”