Sandra Schmirler Most Valuable Player Award Explained

Sandra Schmirler Most Valuable Player Award
Sport:Curling
Competition:Scotties Tournament of Hearts
Givenfor:Top player during the playoffs of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
First:1997
Firstwinner: Marcia Gudereit
Mostrecent: Kerri Einarson

The Sandra Schmirler Most Valuable Player Award is awarded to the top player in the playoff round of the annual Scotties Tournament of Hearts.[1] The winner is selected by members of the media, and is awarded at the victory banquet held after the final game of the bonspiel. The top player at the tournament has been recognized since 1997, when Marcia Gudereit won the award. After Sandra Schmirler's death at 36 due to cancer, the award was renamed starting in 2001. The current holder of the Schmirler Award is Kerri Einarson of Team Canada.

Kerri Einarson has won the Schmirler Award four times, the most of any woman. Colleen Jones, Kelly Scott, Jennifer Jones, Rachel Homan, and Chelsea Carey are the only other women who have won the award more than once. Colleen Jones won all three of her MVP awards while playing as Team Canada. Scott won the award once while representing her home province of British Columbia and the next year playing as Team Canada as the reigning champion, while Jennifer Jones won it while representing Manitoba in 2015 and 2018, and representing Team Canada in 2009. Homan won her first MVP award after successfully defending her Scotties championship in 2014, then winning again representing Ontario in 2017. Carey won both of her MVP awards while representing Alberta. Einarson won her first MVP with her first Scotties title representing Manitoba in 2020, then defended both as Team Canada in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Past winners

YearPlayerTeamPosition
Lead
Second
Third
Third
Lead
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Third
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Fourth
Skip[2]
Skip[3]
Lead[4]
Skip[5]
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Skip[6]
Skip[7]
Skip[8]
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Skip[10]
Skip[11]
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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sandra Schmirler Most Valuable Player Award. Canadian Curling Association. 2010-07-28. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110225035246/http://www.curling.ca/championships/scotties/history-of-the-scotties/sandra-schmirler-most-valuable-player-award/. 2011-02-25.
  2. Web site: Saskatchewan's Amber Holland named MVP. 28 February 2011. Canadian Curling Association.
  3. Web site: Heather Nedohin named MVP at 2012 Scotties Tournament of Hearts. 26 February 2012. Canadian Curling Association.
  4. Web site: Ontario skip Rachel Homan beats Jennifer Jones to capture Scotties Tournament of Hearts gold in Kingston.
  5. Web site: Homan Runs the Table at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts | Front Page News.
  6. Web site: Chelsea Carey leads Alberta to Scotties title CBC Sports.
  7. News: Kryk . John . Third time proves lucky charm for Rachel Homan's Ontario rink at Scotties Tournament of Hearts . . February 27, 2017 . February 28, 2017.
  8. News: McCormick . Murray . Jones back on top, capturing Scotties women's curling championship . . . February 4, 2018 . February 5, 2018.
  9. News: Strong . Gregory . Alberta's Carey beats Ontario's Homan to win Scotties Tournament of Hearts . . February 24, 2019 . . February 25, 2019.
  10. News: Palmer . Randy . Manitoba's Einarson wins Scotties Tournament of Hearts . February 24, 2020 . Moose Jaw Today . February 25, 2020.
  11. News: Dreger . Clayton . Einarson wins 2021 Scotties Tournament of Hearts . March 1, 2021 . . March 2, 2021.
  12. News: It's a three-peat! Team Canada holds on for third-straight Scotties title . February 6, 2022 . Curling Canada . February 7, 2022.
  13. News: It's a four-peat! Team Canada's Einarson peels back off the wall to win a fourth straight Scotties title . February 26, 2023 . Curling Canada . February 27, 2023.