Overton-Clapham in her element coaching Team USA in Sweden

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This article was published 20/03/2023 (394 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

She doesn’t wake up and immediately take the pledge of allegiance. The Stars and Stripes aren’t waving above her front yard. She hasn’t got plans to visit Mount Rushmore anytime soon.

This week, however, it’s USA all the way for iconic Winnipeg curler Cathy Overton-Clapham.

The five-time Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion is in Sandviken, Sweden coaching Team USA’s Tabitha Peterson at the World Women’s Curling Championship.

Even though she represented Canada at three world championships during her playing days, which included a gold medal in Vernon, B.C. in 2008 as the third for Jennifer Jones, Overton-Clapham feels right at home with the red, white, and blue.

“It doesn’t feel that weird at all. I think it’s just more about being a part of a team and being at a curling event and helping along a team as best as I can,” Overton-Clapham told the Free Press on Tuesday.

Peterson heads into Wednesday’s action in sixth place with a 4-3 record. One of those victories came against Canada’s Kerri Einarson on Sunday.

“They’re a great bunch. They’re keen, they’re experienced, they have all the shots, and they’re fun” said Overton-Clapham.

“It’s been a fun experience and I’m certainly enjoying my time with them.”

Overton-Clapham, now 53 and living in Calgary, has been working with USA Curling since 2019. She reached out to the program’s director of high performance and asked if they’d be interested in her expertise and they welcomed her with open arms. Her coaching role has been keeping her busy as she was in Denver, Colo., last month for the USA Men’s and Women’s Curling National Championships. Before making her way to Sweden, she was in Kalamazoo, Mich., for the USA Mixed Doubles Curling Nationals. She’ll also be joining the winning duo Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse at the Mixed Doubles World Championship in South Korea in April. Thiesse plays third for Peterson.

“It’s been a lot in the last little while, and then the girls will be in a slam in Toronto. So, it’s busy, for sure at this time of year,” said Overton-Clapham.

“It’s tough, travelling overseas is never easy, so I’m just trying to embrace being here and the excitement of it all and you can always sleep later, right?”

Overton-Clapham played her final season in 2019 with Alberta’s Laura Walker. Two years earlier, she was playing for Chelsea Carey’s team that lost the 2017 Canadian Olympic Curling trials final in Ottawa to Ontario’s Rachel Homan.

“It was time… I’ve done this for a long time and the amount of practice, training and travelling wears on you. It was just time to step away from the ice but I certainly still love being involved and being around.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31