Leading the House: A Q&A with three women sliding curling forward through Member Association leadership

What does it look like to lead in curling – not just from the hack, but from the top of an organization? In this Q+A, we hear from three Member Association executive directors shaping the sport: Jill Groves (Curling Alberta), Laura Forget (Northern Ontario Curling Association), and Amy Duncan (Prince Edward Island Curling). Each brings a distinct perspective on growth, gender equity, and the evolving role of curling in their communities. From youth engagement to high-performance coaching, their insights reflect both the challenges and the momentum curling is experiencing across the country.

“I said yes, even though I didn’t feel ready, and gave myself time to grow,” Forget says of stepping into leadership. That theme of growth runs throughout the conversation, as all three leaders reflect on what it means to build confidence, carry responsibility, and push the sport forward. Groves, who also serves on the Women in Curling executive, joins Forget and Duncan in offering a clear-eyed look at what curling needs next, and the kind of leadership that will get it there.

What has your role taught you about curling?

Duncan: I was not a curler. I have a recreation management background and I worked for the Canada Games host society in 2009. I watched a little bit of curling before I started, but I really didn’t know anything. The community in curling is amazing. The people make this sport operate on a day-in, day-out basis. It’s incredible how much work some of these volunteers do every year. Our webmaster had been a webmaster for 24 years and wrote almost every story on our website for those 24 years. We just celebrated a group of volunteers who’ve been making ice at an arena club for about 12 years. It takes about five hours each Tuesday for them to make ice so that 64 curlers can use it. The commitment and passion for the sport are probably the biggest highlights.

Forget: As soon as I started working on the administration side, I saw so many opportunities for growth for myself, but also in sport. In my first year in my role, I attended the Women in Curling Leaders Conference, and I got to sit next to two incredible women in the sport who welcomed me, and that inspired me to be that for somebody else someday.

Groves: The culture of curling is unlike any other sport I’ve been involved with. The people are just so generous and welcoming—it’s hard for me to imagine wanting to move on from it. For me, it’s been less about the technical side of the sport and more about the people and the sense of community they bring.

How do you develop confidence to lead in sports, which is often male-dominated?

Duncan: You just have to do it. With my job, when I’m at my desk or when I’m organizing something, I am super confident and I know what I’m doing. But, you put me in front of a room and I have to talk, I have zero interest in that because I did not grow up as a curler. I do not feel like I should be the spokesperson. But at those times, you just have to do it.

Forget: I’ve been really lucky in my role—I’ve never felt like I couldn’t share my ideas or experiences. I actually have quite a gender-balanced board, and our president is a woman. That’s been so inspiring. Even in national meetings, I’ve felt that my voice is valued. I know that’s not the case everywhere, which is why programs like Girls Rock and initiatives through Women in Curling are so important—they help give women a place and a voice in sport.

Groves: I often find myself as one of the few women at the decision-making table. There’s a balancing act between being assertive and navigating traditional expectations of how women “should” lead. I’ve learned to surround myself with strong teammates and mentors of all genders and just dive in, even if I don’t feel fully ready. Representation matters, not just on the ice but in coaching and leadership roles, too.

What’s something about curling in your province that people might not realize?

Duncan: We have world-class coaches who have been working with our athletes and the kids who have been coming through our system. Peter Gallant is our provincial performance director. He coached the South Korean women’s team to a silver medal at the Olympics. We are so small that our curlers throughout the province can regularly work closely with him.

Forget: In Northern Ontario, curling is almost like a brand. You hear the moose calls at events and everyone proudly wears the Team Northern Ontario logo. But curling clubs are also community hubs—especially in our long, isolating winters. People gather not just to curl, but to connect and find a sense of belonging.

Groves: There’s a big misconception that provincial sport organizations are all about competitions. But everything we do is aimed at supporting clubs—because that’s where quality experiences for curlers are built.

What are you most proud of from your time in this role so far?

Duncan: Having Peter Gallant on board. We lost funding for a performance director position, so we went probably seven or eight years without anybody overseeing our technical or performance side of the sport, I just kind of did it with some volunteers. In 2020, Peter called me and we found a way to have him join us. He’s brought a new excitement to my role—being able to offer that calibre of coaching to our athletes and our coaches.

Forget: Finding my voice. I took over from Mike Harris, which felt daunting, and I didn’t feel ready. But I said yes and gave myself time to grow. Now I’ve helped bring back youth programs that had died off—we had over 200 kids out for Hit Draw Tap this year and hosted provincials. I’m proud of what we’re building.

Groves: When I came on board, Alberta had just amalgamated three regional bodies with the provincial organization. It could’ve fractured the community, but instead, we came together. That unity has made us stronger—and I’m proud of the role I played in helping shape that.

Where are you seeing momentum right now in the sport—whether it’s participation, energy, or innovation?

Duncan: The amount of people who are stick curling. Our women’s stick curling event went from four teams in 2023 to 10 teams in 2024 and 13 teams in 2025. We just started offering a mixed event two seasons ago and we had 25 teams out.

Forget: I’m seeing clubs embrace new programming and community-building. We’re getting better at making the sport feel welcoming to people from all walks of life—not just those who grew up curling. That mindset shift is critical if we want to grow.

Groves: There’s real momentum around female participation. Our U-18 numbers are stronger among young women than young men, and more women are stepping into coaching and ice technician roles. It’s exciting to see that growth across so many levels.

What do you think curling needs more of right now—on or off the ice?

Duncan: We need more support—whether it’s straight funding or funding for certain positions. We can’t keep moving forward unless we have more capacity.

Forget: We need to encourage people from all backgrounds and ages to try the sport—and also to show that there are many ways to get involved beyond playing. Volunteering, officiating, becoming an ice maker, or even working in club administration are all important parts of keeping the sport alive.

Groves: We have so many generous volunteers, but I think there’s still hesitation when it comes to stepping into leadership. We need to develop and support those core people who drive clubs and events—the ones who bring people together. That’s where our long-term capacity lies.