On a recent Attack visit to the nation’s capital I was walking along O’Connor Street and came across the Ottawa Curling Club which was fronted by a HUGE banner that proclaimed the club was the ” Home of the Rachel Homan Rink “.
That banner now seems highly ironic in light of a 2 week swirling controversy that had obviously been festering for quite some time and then burst in Elmira during the Ontario Scotties Tournament of Hearts Championship.
The question is; where is Homan’s home ?
Homan, who is married to a man who resides in Alberta, goes to school in Edmonton, but maintains a residence in Ottawa.
The Ontario Curling residency rules stipulate that Homan, or anybody, can compete in the Ontario championship under an exemption for full-time post-secondary on-campus students,
The issue is whether a student exemption should be used by a player, like Homan, who is a full-time curler, and only resides in the province on a part-time, or convenient, basis.
So upsetting was the scenario at Elmira, that rival rinks voted Homan as the ” most sportsmanlike ” player in an apparent this-is-a-Joke statement.
Furthermore, in the Ontario Final at Elmira following Homan’s 6-4 victory over Owen Sound curler Julie Tippin, who was representing the Woodstock Curling Club, there was an awkward moment at the trophy presentation.
Somebody joyfully yelled out…………………….. ” Ontario “.
That yell was followed by a derisive yell of…… ” Alberta “
Regardless, Homan is at the Canadian Scotties Tournament of Hearts which begins tonight in Sydney, Nova Scotia representing Ontario.
I think based on the events in Elmira, it’s fair to say not everyone in Ontario is rooting for her.