What's On My Mind
by Samantha Cornett


November 15, 2014

Pressure and the Women’s World Team Championship

It’s coming soon!

The hype is growing more and more and now it’s only two weeks until Team Canada and the rest of the world makes its way to Niagara-on-the-Lake and White Oaks Resort and Spa for the big event.

There are interviews and pep talks to get us thinking about everything.  Families have booked their flights.  Clubs in the Toronto area are putting together groups to come watch.

Now it’s time for seeding, which I’m guessing will come out sometime next week.  This is the process where the ranking of the teams is decided.  It could be tricky with a lot of close teams!

The most interesting thing about this event is the amount of pressure placed on the home team.  I started thinking about this after an interview earlier this week. 

Our association and the organizers have put so much time and energy into making this spectacular event happen.  They are most certainly hoping for a good result from our team.  Individually, Danielle, Hollie, Nikki and I will want to perform in front of our friends and family.  We hope that the crowd will be loud!  It was very loud in France two years ago for Team Canada, and that was just Steph Edmison, so I’m sure she will be backed up by the rest of the Canadian crowd!  She is notoriously and wonderfully loud. 

The thing that can happen in front of a home crowd, if one is not prepared, is that one can get quite tense on court under the eyes of everyone watching and under the great expectations.  But this pressure is truly self imposed.  Having everyone in your corner can be too much for some people to handle, and it can be just what others need.  When you’re 2-0 down and the crowd is cheering you on regardless of the score, it can really help you find something deep down inside and help you pull it back.  When you’re 2-2 and 10-all, and the crowd is going wild, it can completely swing the momentum in your favour. 

It all depends on how you see it!  Generally, I don’t hear the crowd unless it’s completely silent.  Silence is the loudest thing to me!  BUT the crowd at a team championship, from what I’ve seen, is a rare and boisterous breed. 

The thing we will remind ourselves of is that everyone rooting for us is behind us, win or lose.  I know we will put it all on the line December 1-6 and I know we are all looking forward to it! 

See you there,

Sam







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