Englot back on track after slow start

As is the case in any sport, sometimes it can take a bit of time to adjust to a new addition on a curling team - and when you're the defending provincial champions, you hope that adjustment comes as quick as possible.
For Michelle Englot, it took all of one tournament.
Englot, who includes Moose Jaw's Cindy Simmons at lead, brought in Deanna Doig as third this season after the former Heather Rankin vice-skip moved to Saskatchewan in the summer.
After a bit of a learning process, the change has paid dividends in the rinks' past two tournaments, as they won the Casinos of Winnipeg Charity Classic during the Oct. 24 weekend before finishing second at the Colonial Square Ladies Classic in Saskatoon on Monday, losing 6-4 to Stephanie Lawton in the final.
"It's been a few good weeks anyway and hopefully it keeps going," Simmons said Wednesday afternoon. "The first couple spiels were a bust, we went oh-and-three in Calgary (at the Trail Appliances Curling Classic) which was kind of a shocker, I can't remember the last time we'd done that.
"But then we came right back in Winnipeg and won the whole thing, which really turned us around."
The success sees Englot third in World Curlng Tour winnings with $22,000 and more importantly fourth in the 2008-09 Canadian Team Ranking System, which qualifies the top two teams into the provincial championships in addition to assigning berths for the Olympic Pre-Trials qualification.
"Definitely, points are really big this year," Simmons said. "We're off to a good start, so the important thing is to keep it going."
The quick assimilation of Doig has helped matters along, even if things were a touch rough in their first major outing.
"That's been a bit of a switch in chemistry and it took a few weeks to figure it out, but it seems to be working now," Simmons said.
"A lot of it was the really minor things, things you wouldn't think would be bothersome," she added. "Stuff like the timing of rocks was different just because of how she throws. It took awhile to catch on to that, but now everyone has their confidence which has been a huge boost for us."
The key to the rest of the season will be continuing their current run of success, especially if it means defending their Scotties provincial championship.
The added pressure of carrying the title of reigning provincial champs isn't something Simmons is concerned about, given the amount of experience the rink has with success - Englot has won six provincial titles in her career and Simmons herself is a former national junior champion.
"Especially for Michelle it's nothing new," Simmons said. "Whenever we play she has a target on her back.
"It just makes you realize a bit more that it is a possibility and you do have the option of playing well enough to get there again. But there are a ton of good Saskatchewan teams out there so we'll have to be playing well."
The Engot foursome returns to action this weekend for the $60,000 Wayden Transportation Ladies Classic Grand Slam tournament.

Randy Palmer can be reached at 691-1257