ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 no question Team Galusha had the season of their lives in 2021-22: playoffs at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, winning on the World Curling Tour, and that run at Winter Olympic qualification.

So whatSA国际影视传媒檚 a group of ladies to do after a season like that? You raise the bar higher.

Kerry Galusha and her rink of Sarah Koltun, Margot Flemming, Jo-Ann Rizzo, and coach/fifth Shona Barbour are gearing up for the new season and it all gets underway in Edmonton on Sept. 9 as the NWT curlers are set to play in the Saville Shootout. The plan, according to Galusha, is for everyone to meet up on Thursday in the Alberta capital.

Getting ready for the new season means hitting the ice to prepare. That meant getting whatever ice they could because the ice isnSA国际影视传媒檛 installed at the Yellowknife Curling Centre yet. Galusha and Rizzo were getting in some throws in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont., while Flemming and Barbour have been on the ice at the Multiplex, working on sliding and getting back into the swing of things.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e all just doing what we can before the start,SA国际影视传媒� said Galusha. SA国际影视传媒淲e had a dream season last year and I donSA国际影视传媒檛 know how weSA国际影视传媒檒l top it. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e just going to stay consistent, be better used to our roles on the team, and hope we can build on what we did last year and try to do even better.SA国际影视传媒�

The ladies have seven scheduled events this season. Following Edmonton, they will be off to Fredericton for the PointsBet Invitational, a new invitation-only bonspiel put together by Curling Canada. Team Galusha received their invite based on their current ranking on the World Curling Team Ranking System and theySA国际影视传媒檒l begin play on Sept. 22 versus Casey Scheidegger of Alberta. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a single-knockout event, meaning one loss at any point and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 it, but there is some very good prize money up for grabs with the winners earning as much as $50,000.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e really excited to be going to that,SA国际影视传媒� said Rizzo. SA国际影视传媒淏eing part of the top-12 (ranked teams) that got invited, weSA国际影视传媒檙e honoured to have been chosen, and weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to go and give it our best.SA国际影视传媒�

After that, the ladies plan to venture onto the Grand Slam of Curling circuit to play in the Tour Challenge in Grande Prairie, Alta., in October. Thirty menSA国际影视传媒檚 and womenSA国际影视传媒檚 teams will be in action with two tiers of groupings: the top 15 on the World Curling Team Ranking System will be play in the top tier with the next 10 teams playing in tier two, with five regional invitations given to teams within the province or region.

Galusha said things are looking good that they will be there with no problem.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e 21st in the world right now and we need to be in the top-30 to get in,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 the regional invite and we could get in that way, but ISA国际影视传媒檓 hoping weSA国际影视传媒檒l get in on our own. It gives us more games on arena ice and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 important if we get to go to the Scotties (Tournament of Hearts).SA国际影视传媒�

There are stops planned in Kemptville, Ont., Red Deer, Alta., and Brantford, Ont., before the Christmas break and then itSA国际影视传媒檚 back into it with the NWT WomenSA国际影视传媒檚 Curling Championship in Inuvik in January. The ladies will go into that event as reigning champions, so to speak, by virtue of being declared the winners following the cancellation of the 2022 event due to the Omicron wave of Covid-19. A win in 2023 and itSA国际影视传媒檚 back to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, happening in Kamloops, B.C., this coming February.

Should the ladies be the NWT representatives again, Rizzo said the new goal is to go deeper in the playoffs.

SA国际影视传媒淓verything weSA国际影视传媒檙e doing before playdowns is all about getting consistency,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲e want all the skills to be there before Christmas and, if we go to the Scotties, we want to build on the last one and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 getting past the first playoff game.SA国际影视传媒�

In total, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 six cash spiels and the territorial championship guaranteed, and it adds up to what Galusha describes as one of the busiest seasons ever.

SA国际影视传媒淚t feels like itSA国际影视传媒檚 early, but we started early last season,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚t feels really good to get back out on the ice SA国际影视传媒� we did a lot of prep work over the summer and weSA国际影视传媒檙e all excited to get back at it and see what happens this season.SA国际影视传媒�