Suzanne Birt has won nine of the past 14 Scotties Tournament of Hearts titles since competing in her first provincial women’s championship in 2003.
She skipped a squad comprised of Robyn MacPhee, Meaghan Hughes and Marie Christianson to the title a year ago, but in April the team members decided to go their separate ways.
“Then I thought it might be a good time to regroup. I didn't want to start fresh and start with a brand new team again until I was absolutely 100 per cent mentally ready to do it,” Birt said Tuesday, noting she has not retired. “I don't know when I’ll be retuning, maybe next year, who knows?”
Birt, a Summerside native, won Canadian junior championships in 2001 and 2002 and the world junior title in 2001.
MacPhee is skipping a team at this year’s Scotties, which starts tonight in Summerside, along with Hughes, Sarah Fullerton and Michelle McQuaid.
This is the first time since Birt was 12 years old that she will not be competing in a provincial championship.
“It’s kind of a weird feeling in the pit of your stomach,” she admitted, while noting she plans to watch some of this year’s event. “You want to be there and you want to compete. I still have that desire to want to do that, but at the same time this year had been very nice, to sit back and relax and not worry about anything.”
The curling season runs from September to March with competitive teams on the ice five or six days a week, either practising or playing in leagues or weekend tournaments.
“It’s a lot of hours, a lot of time away from your family,” said Birt.
Birt and her husband, Trevor, have a seven-year-old daughter, Jesse, who is curling for the second season at the Charlottetown Curling Complex.
And the off-season is busy as well with off-ice training, planning a schedule and looking for sponsors.
Birt said she was burnt out and needed a little break.
“This has been absolutely great . . . to sit back and see how I really feel … I really do miss it.”
Suzanne Birt has won nine of the past 14 Scotties Tournament of Hearts titles since competing in her first provincial women’s championship in 2003.
She skipped a squad comprised of Robyn MacPhee, Meaghan Hughes and Marie Christianson to the title a year ago, but in April the team members decided to go their separate ways.
“Then I thought it might be a good time to regroup. I didn't want to start fresh and start with a brand new team again until I was absolutely 100 per cent mentally ready to do it,” Birt said Tuesday, noting she has not retired. “I don't know when I’ll be retuning, maybe next year, who knows?”
Birt, a Summerside native, won Canadian junior championships in 2001 and 2002 and the world junior title in 2001.
MacPhee is skipping a team at this year’s Scotties, which starts tonight in Summerside, along with Hughes, Sarah Fullerton and Michelle McQuaid.
This is the first time since Birt was 12 years old that she will not be competing in a provincial championship.
“It’s kind of a weird feeling in the pit of your stomach,” she admitted, while noting she plans to watch some of this year’s event. “You want to be there and you want to compete. I still have that desire to want to do that, but at the same time this year had been very nice, to sit back and relax and not worry about anything.”
The curling season runs from September to March with competitive teams on the ice five or six days a week, either practising or playing in leagues or weekend tournaments.
“It’s a lot of hours, a lot of time away from your family,” said Birt.
Birt and her husband, Trevor, have a seven-year-old daughter, Jesse, who is curling for the second season at the Charlottetown Curling Complex.
And the off-season is busy as well with off-ice training, planning a schedule and looking for sponsors.
Birt said she was burnt out and needed a little break.
“This has been absolutely great . . . to sit back and see how I really feel … I really do miss it.”
