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Colleen Jones
Colleen Jones
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Colleen Patricia Jones CM[1] (16 December 1959 – 25 November 2025) was a Canadian curler and television personality. She is best known as the skip of two women's world championship teams and six Tournament of Hearts Canadian women's championships, including an unprecedented four titles in a row and held the record for most Tournament of Hearts wins from when she won her 67th game in 1994[2] until her eventual 152 wins were eclipsed by Jennifer Jones in 2021.[3]

Key Information

Jones also served as a reporter and weather presenter for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and as a curling commentator for NBC in the United States, particularly during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

In 2018, Jones finished second to Sidney Crosby in a listing of the greatest 15 athletes in Nova Scotia's history.[4] In 2019, she was named the third greatest Canadian woman curler in history in a TSN poll of broadcasters, reporters and top curlers.[5] In 2016, Jones was awarded the Order of Sport, marking her induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.[6]

She had previously coached the Owen Purcell rink.[7]

Curling career

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Early years

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Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, from a family of curlers, at age 14 she joined the Mayflower Curling Club. She found success in competitive curling from an early age, playing skip for the St. Patrick's High School curling team.[8]

In juniors, Jones won two provincial women's championships; in 1976 playing second for Kathy Myketyn, and in 1977 skipping her own team of Colleen Chisholm, Sheila Jones and Shelley Blanchard.[9] At the 1976 Canadian Junior Women's Curling Championship, the Myketyn-led team finished with a 3–6 record.[10] In 1977, Jones and her team went on to represent Nova Scotia at that year's Canadian Junior Women's Curling Championship, where she led her rink to a 6–4 round robin record, good enough for fourth place.[11] In 1979, Jones was the skip of the Nova Scotia women's team at the Canada Winter Games. There, she made it to the final, where she lost to New Brunswick's Denise Lavigne, settling for a silver medal.[12]

She was only 19 years old when she won the first of her 16 Nova Scotia Women's Curling Championships, playing second on a rink skipped by Penny LaRocque. Two days after winning a silver medal at the 1979 Canada Games, Jones was off to the 1979 Macdonald Lassies, the national championship, as a member of LaRocque's rink. There, the team finished tied for second in the round robin,[13] with a 7–3 record. The team then lost in their tiebreaker match, missing the playoffs.

Early success as skip (1980–1982)

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In 1980, Jones was skipping her own team of Sally Jane Saunders, Margaret Knickle and sister Barbara Jones. She won her first provincial title as a skip, going undefeated at the Nova Scotia women's championship, defeating Gwen Osborne in the final.[14] She then led her team at the 1980 Canadian Ladies Curling Association Championship, going 9–1 in round robin play, good enough for first place, earning her team a bye to the final. However, she faltered in the final, losing to Saskatchewan's Marj Mitchell, whose round robin record was only 6–4.[15] Later that month, Jones played third on the Nova Scotia rink, skipped by future husband Scott Saunders at the 1980 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship.[16] There, the Saunders-led rink finished with a 5–6 record, tied for fifth.[17]

Jones was eliminated from zone playdowns in Nova Scotia in 1981,[18] but returned in 1982 to win her second provincial title as a skip, with teammates Kay Smith and sisters Monica and Barb. At the 1982 Scott Tournament of Hearts, the re-branded national women's championship, she became the youngest skip, at age 22, ever to win the national women's title. There, she led her team to a 7–3 round robin record, in a five-way tie for first place. In the playoffs, she beat Saskatchewan's Arleen Day and then Manitoba's Dot Rose in the final. The team then went on to represent Canada at the 1982 World Women's Curling Championship in Switzerland. Jones led the team to a 6–3 round robin record, in a four-way tie for second place. This put them in a set of tiebreakers against Scotland's Isobel Torrance and Norway's Trine Trulsen. The team lost both games, eliminating them from playoff contention.

1983–1989

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Over the next few years, Jones' career, marriage and a family slowed down her competitive curling, though she still made it to numerous national championships.[19]

Jones was eliminated from the 1983 provincials by Virginia Jackson after losing her second game of the double-kockout event.[20] Jones won the provincial mixed title that year however, playing third for Scott Saunders.[9] They represented Nova Scotia at the 1983 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship,[21] where the team finished with a 6–5 record.[22]

Jones beat Virginia Jackson in the final of the 1984 Nova Scotia Hearts, sending her, third Wendy Currie and sisters Monica and Barb to the 1984 Scott Tournament of Hearts.[23] At the Hearts, she led her team to another first place round robin finish, with a 9–1 record. However, she lost in the final to Manitoba's Connie Laliberte rink.

Jones was eliminated early on during the 1985 provincials.[24] The following season, she joined forces with her former teammate, Penny LaRocque who had become her main rival in the province, with LaRocque throwing third. The team found success, winning the 1986 provincial championship, beating Mary Mattatall in the final.[25] The team also included frontenders Cathy Caudle and Susan Robinson. They weren't very successful at the 1986 Scott Tournament of Hearts however, going 5–6 in the round robin, missing the playoffs.

The Jones–LaRocque partnership did not last long, and LaRocque went on to form her own team again. At the 1987 provincial championship, Jones was eliminated from play after losing to LaRocque and Virginia Jackson.[26] Jones and teammates Kay Smith, Kim Dolan and Cathy Caudle played in the 1987 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials that season, with a chance to compete at the 1988 Winter Olympics, where curling was a demonstration sport. There, she led the team to a 4–3 round robin record, but lost to Pat Sanders in a tiebreaker. Jones won another provincial mixed title with husband Scott Saunders in 1988,[9] but could not play in that year's Canadian Mixed Championship due to work commitments.[27]

Jones won her sixth provincial title in 1989, with teammates Mary Mattatall, sister Monica (now Moriarty) and lead Kelly Anderson, defeating former teammate Cathy Caudle in the final.[28] At the 1989 Scott Tournament of Hearts, she led her team to a 7–4 round robin record, in a five-way tie for second. She lost to Team Canada's Heather Houston in a tiebreaker though, eliminating her from playoff contention.

1989–1998

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Jones took the 1989–90 season off from competitive curling to focus on CBC's coverage of the 1990 Commonwealth Games.[29] The following season, she was back to her old form, winning a seventh provincial title, beating Heather Rankin in the 1991 Nova Scotia final.[30] At the 1991 Scott Tournament of Hearts, Jones led her rink of Mary Mattatall, Kim Kelly and Nancy Reid to a 5–6 record.

With new lead Sue Green, Jones won her eighth provincial title, defeating Marg Cutcliffe in the final at the 1992 Nova Scotia provincial championship. Jones became the first skip to win back to back provincial titles since 1979.[31] The team represented Nova Scotia on home ice in Halifax at the 1992 Scott Tournament of Hearts, where they finished with a 6–5 record, missing the playoffs.

Jones won her third straight provincial title in 1993, defeating Tracy Dobson 9–0 in just three ends in the Nova Scotia final.[32] Jones and her new team of Heather Rankin, Kay Zinck (Smith) and Mary Anne Arsenault then went on to finish 6–5 again at the 1993 Scott Tournament of Hearts. After winning her fourth provincial mixed title playing third for husband Scott Saunders, Jones won the 1993 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship.[33] The team went 8–3 in round robin play, earning a bye to the final with a first place finish. In the final, they beat Alberta (skipped by Terry Meek) to claim the national championship.

Rankin's membership on Jones' women's team was brief, and Jones with Zinck, Angie Romkey and Kim Kelly beat Rankin in the 1994 Nova Scotia final, Jones' 10th provincial title.[34] At the 1994 Scott Tournament of Hearts, the team finished with a 4–7 record. Jones and husband Scott Saunders won another mixed provincial title in 1994. They represented Nova Scotia at the 1994 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship,[35] where they finished 4–2 in pool play, in a five-way tie for first in their pool. They then lost to New Brunswick in a tiebreaker before losing to Ontario in the Wildcard quarterfinal.

Jones provincial winning streak finally came to an end in 1995, when she lost to Virginia Jackson at that year's Nova Scotia Tournament of Hearts.[36]

After winning another provincial mixed championship with husband Scott Saunders,[9] Jones began the 1996 calendar year at the 1996 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship, throwing third for the Saunders-skipped Nova Scotians. The team finished the round robin in a two-way tie for second at 8–3, but were upset in the page 3 vs. 4 playoff game to British Columbia. Later that month, she won her 11th provincial women's title with teammates Zinck, Kelly and Nancy Delahunt, beating Helen Radford in the 1996 Nova Scotia final.[37] At the 1996 Scott Tournament of Hearts, Jones led her team to a 6–5 round robin record, in a five-way tie for fourth place. The team managed to win their first tiebreaker against British Columbia's Jodi Busche, but lost in their next game to Manitoba's Maureen Bonar, eliminating them from playoff contention.

Jones and Saunders won a second-straight provincial mixed title,[9] earning them the right to represent Nova Scotia at the 1997 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship in January that year. There, the team finished 8–3 again, tied for second. They were again eliminated in the 3 vs. 4 game, this time against Northern Ontario. A few weeks later, Jones won her 12th provincial title at the 1997 Nova Scotia Hearts, beating Mary Mattatall in the final.[38] Jones led her team of Helen Radford, Kim Kelly and Nancy Delahunt to a 4–7 record at the 1997 Scott Tournament of Hearts. Mattatall won her revenge at the 1998 Nova Scotia Hearts, beating Jones in that year's provincial final.[39]

Two World Championships and Tournament of Hearts dominance (1999–2006)

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In January 1999, Jones won her second Canadian Mixed Championship, throwing third rocks for Paul Flemming. At the 1999 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship, the team went 8–3 in the round robin before winning all three of their playoff matches, beating PEI in the final. Later that month, with her new team of Kim Kelly, Mary Anne Waye (later Arsenault) and Nancy Delahunt, Jones won her 13th provincial title, defeating Nancy McConnery in the Nova Scotia final.[40] The team then went on to go 8–3 at the 1999 Scott Tournament of Hearts in the round robin. In the playoffs, the team beat Manitoba's Connie Laliberte in the 1 vs. 2 page playoff game, putting them into the final, where they beat the defending champion Cathy Borst rink, representing Team Canada. This was the second Canadian curling title for Jones. The team then went on to represent Canada at the 1999 World Women's Curling Championship in Saint John, New Brunswick. There, the team missed the playoffs, finishing with a 4–5 round robin record.

As defending champions, Team Jones represented Canada at the 2000 Scott Tournament of Hearts. However, they had a less than stellar tournament, finishing out of the playoffs with a 5–6 record. This forced the team to go through provincials again in 2001. At the 2001 Nova Scotia Hearts, the rink beat Jocelyn Palmer in the final, giving Jones her 14th provincial title.[41] At the 2001 Scott Tournament of Hearts, Jones led the team to a 7–4 record, in a four-way tie for second place in the round robin. In the playoffs, they beat Team Canada's Kelley Law in the 1 vs. 2 game, and beat her again in the final, to win their second Tournament of Hearts–Jones' third. They went on to represent Canada at the 2001 World Women's Curling Championship in Lausanne, Switzerland. There, the team topped the round robin with a 7–2 record, tied with Sweden's Anette Norberg team. They then beat Denmark's Lene Bidstrup in the semifinal, before beating Sweden in the final, to claim Jones's first World Curling Championship. The Hearts win also qualified the Jones crew to compete at the 2001 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials. There, the team went 6–3 in round robin play, but lost to team Sherry Anderson in the semifinal.

Jones followed up successful 2000–01 campaign with another Canadian championship at the 2002 Scott Tournament of Hearts. As defending champions, they represented Team Canada once again. Jones led her team to an 8–3 round robin record, in a three-way tie for second. In the playoffs, she lost in the 1 vs. 2 game against Saskatchewan's Sherry Anderson. However, the team rebounded in the semifinal, defeating Ontario's Sherry Middaugh, before beating Saskatchewan in the final. The team then represented Canada at the 2002 World Women's Curling Championship in North Dakota, going 5–4 in the round robin. This put the team in a three-way tie for the last playoff spot. The team won their tiebreaker match against Switzerland's Manuela Kormann, putting them into the playoffs. There, they lost in the semifinal to Scotland's Jackie Lockhart, and then lost in the bronze medal game to Norway's Dordi Nordby.

Jones and her team represented Canada again at the 2003 Scott Tournament of Hearts as defending champions. There, she led her rink to an 8–3 round robin record, for sole possession of second place. In the playoffs, she downed Prince Edward Island's Suzanne Gaudet in the 1 vs. 2 game. In the final, she met Newfoundland and Labrador's Cathy Cunningham, whom she beat for her third straight Tournament of Hearts title. At the 2003 World Women's Curling Championship, she went undefeated in the round robin, winning all nine of their games. In the semifinal, she beat Norway's Dordi Nordby, but were upset by the United States, skipped by Debbie McCormick in the final, settling for silver.

Jones won her lone Canada Cup in January 2004, beating Sherry Anderson in the final. A month later, representing Team Canada again, Jones won a record-setting sixth time at the 2004 Scott Tournament of Hearts. The team went 9–2 through the round robin, topping the table. In the playoffs, they knocked off Ontario's Sherry Middaugh in the 1 vs. 2 game, and then beat Quebec's Marie-France Larouche in the final to claim the championship. This made Jones the first skip to win four straight Canadian titles.[citation needed] From there the team went on to represent Canada at the 2004 World Women's Curling Championship in Sweden. There, the team went 6–3 in the round robin, good enough for a tie for second. In the semifinals, they knocked off Luzia Ebnöther of Switzerland before beating Norway's Dordi Nordby in the final to win their second World Curling Championship.[42]

Their return at the 2005 Scott Tournament of Hearts as Team Canada was not as stellar. The team finished the round-robin at 6–5 and lost in a tie-breaker to Sandy Comeau of New Brunswick. When this happened, the team got a standing ovation, which even halted play in the other game that was occurring two sheets over.[citation needed] Later that year, the team played in the 2005 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials, where they finished with a 3–6 record.

For the first time since 2001, the team had to play in the Nova Scotia Tournament of Hearts in order to qualify for the 2006 Scott Tournament of Hearts. In the provincial final, the rink beat Kay Zinck 9–8 to send Jones to her 20th national championship appearance.[43] At the 2006 Hearts, the team was back in form, finishing the round robin tied in second place with an 8–3 record. The team then lost in the 1 vs. 2 game to British Columbia's Kelly Scott, and bowed out of the tournament in the semi-finals to defending champion Jennifer Jones, who was skipping Team Canada. At the end of the 2006 season, the team broke up. Jones joined the team of fellow Haligonian Kay Zinck, as her third. The rest of the team got a new skip in Laine Peters.[44]

2006–2008

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Playing third for Kay Zinck during the 2006–07 season, the team made it to the final of the 2007 Nova Scotia Hearts, where they lost to Jill Mouzar. With the loss, Jones would be absent from the national Tournament of Hearts for the first time since 1998.[45]

Jones went back to skipping for the 2007–08 season, forming a team with Olympic bronze medallist Georgina Wheatcroft from British Columbia, along with Kate Hamer from Ontario and Darah Provencal, also from BC in an effort to qualify for the 2009 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials. As the team resided in different provinces, it was ineligible from playing for a provincial championship, and therefore the Tournament of Hearts, but was still eligible for the Trials. The team was formed after the 2007 Players' Championship, where Jones filled in for Kelley Law, whose team consisted of Wheatcroft, Provencal and Shannon Aleksic. That team made it to the semifinals, where they lost to Jennifer Jones.[46] Jones' new transnational squad didn't find much success on tour however, failing to qualify for the playoffs in any of the four Grand Slam events they played in.

At the end of the 2007–08 season, Jones would retire from competitive curling.[citation needed]

2010–2011

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Colleen Jones announced on March 24, 2010, on CBC News that she would be again returning to competitive curling.[citation needed] Having been present for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, a spark ignited in her, and she once again wanted to make another run for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

For the 2010–11 season, Jones was recruited by Heather Smith-Dacey, Blisse Comstock and Teri Lake, to take over skipping duties, when former skip Jill Mouzar moved to Ontario. The team played in two Grand Slams that Fall, missing the playoffs in both. Just as Jones was due to begin her competitive curling comeback, days before beginning the playdowns for the 2011 Nova Scotia Scotties Tournament of Hearts, It was announced on December 10, 2010, that Jones was diagnosed with meningitis.[47] Jones turned over skipping duties to Heather Smith-Dacey, and brought in Danielle Parsons to play at third. Smith-Dacey's team won the Nova Scotia title, and then went on to win the bronze medal at the 2011 Scotties. Jones was able to return to competition after recovering from her illness, and won the 2011 Nova Scotia Senior Women's Championship on February 27.[48] Jones and her senior team of Nancy Delahunt, Marsha Sobey and Sally Saunders represented Nova Scotia at the 2011 Canadian Senior Curling Championships, where she led the team to a 6–5 record, missing the playoffs.

2011–2023

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For the 2011–12 season, Jones recruited a new squad, originally consisting of Kristen MacDiarmid, Helen Radford and Mary Sue Radford, all of whom previous played with Theresa Breen. Later in the season, she modified her team adding former teammate Nancy Delahunt to third, and Marsha Sobey to second. Mary Sue Radford remained at lead. Delahunt and Sobey were members of Jones' Senior women's champion team. After failing to qualify for the provincial 2012 Nova Scotia Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Jones and her senior team of Delahunt, Sobey and Sally Saunders, participated in the 2012 Nova Scotia Women's Senior Championships. They made it to the final, where they defeated Colleen Pinkney, 6–4, to win back-to-back seniors championships, qualifying for the National senior finals. With Delahunt skipping, and Jones throwing last stones, the team represented Nova Scotia at the 2012 Canadian Senior Curling Championships, where they lost in the semi-final to Newfoundland and Labrador's Cathy Cunningham, after finishing the round robin with an 8–3 record. By virtue of her semifinal lost, the team won the bronze medal.[citation needed]

For the 2012–13 season, Jones reunited with Mary-Anne Arsenault and Kim Kelly, with the goal of reaching the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.[49] Jones threw second stones on the team, while acting as the rink's vice skip, or "mate" while Arsenault skipped.[50] The Arsenault-skipped team won the 2013 Nova Scotia Scotties Tournament of Hearts, defeating Jocelyn Nix in the final, and qualified for the 2013 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Kingston, Ontario. There, they finished the event with a 5–6 record.[51] It would be Jones' last trip to the Tournament of Hearts.

Jones won another provincial senior women's title in 2015 with teammates Kim Kelly, Mary Sue Radford and Nancy Delahunt.[52] The team represented Nova Scotia at the 2015 Canadian Senior Curling Championships. There, the team made it to the final, where they lost to British Columbia's Sandra Jenkins. The team won another provincial seniors title in 2016, sending the rink to the 2016 Canadian Senior Curling Championships. There, they topped the championship pool in a tie with Ontario's Jo-Ann Rizzo. The team then beat Alberta's Cathy King in the semifinal, then Saskatchewan's Sherry Anderson in the final to claim the Canadian Senior Championship title. This sent the team to represent Canada at the 2017 World Senior Curling Championships in Lethbridge, Alberta where her rink went through the event undefeated to win the world title,[53] including defeating Scotland's Jackie Lockhart in the semifinal, and Switzerland's Cristina Lestander in the final.

Jones and her senior team entered the 2018 Nova Scotia Scotties Tournament of Hearts, finishing the event with a 3–4 record. They qualified again in 2019, this time with Kelly throwing fourth stones, Jones at third and new lead Julia Williams. This team went 4–3, and lost in a tiebreaker to Kristen MacDiarmid. In mixed curling, Jones won another Nova Scotia Mixed Championship in 2019, and played in the 2020 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship throwing third for Peter Burgess. There, the team failed to make it to the championship round, going 2–4 in pool play.

Kelly and Jones with a new front end of Sheena Moore and Julia Colter qualified for the 2020 Nova Scotia Scotties Tournament of Hearts, where they went 6–1 in the round robin. The team beat Jill Brothers in the semifinal before losing to Jones' former teammate Mary-Anne Arsenault in the final.[54]

Jones was the alternate for the Jessica Daigle at the 2022 Nova Scotia Scotties Tournament of Hearts. The team went 3–3, and didn't qualify for the playoffs. She spared for Marie Christianson on the Suzanne Birt rink at the inaugural 2022 PointsBet Invitational.[55] There, the team was eliminated in the first game against Tracy Fleury. Jones was again the alternate for Daigle at the 2023 Nova Scotia Scotties Tournament of Hearts, going 2–3. Jones was the lead for Nova Scotia at the 2023 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship, on a team skipped by Paul Flemming. After posting a 7–3 record, the team was eliminated in the semifinals to eventual champions Saskatchewan. It would be Jones' final national championship at any level.

Coaching

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Jones coached the Heather Smith rink in 2024 and the Owen Purcell rink in 2025.[52]

Career highlights

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Colleen Jones is a member of the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame and the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame.

  • World Curling Champion: 2001, 2004
  • Canadian Curling Champion: 1982, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
  • Canadian Mixed Curling Champion: 1993, 1999
  • World Senior Curling Champion: 2017
  • Canadian Senior Curling Champion: 2016

She was appointed Member of the Order of Canada (CM) in the 2023 Canadian honours, "for her accomplishments and contributions both on and off the ice, as a Canadian curling legend, reporter and broadcaster."[1]

Broadcasting career

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Jones began her broadcasting career in radio sports at CHUM radio in 1982. She made the switch to television broadcasting in 1984 at CTV, and joined the CBC in 1986.[56] Beginning in 1993, Jones was the weather presenter and sports reporter for CBC Morning News on CBC Newsworld (now CBC News Network).[57] At the 2006 Torino Olympics, she did CBC segments about curling. Jones also provided curling commentary for American network NBC's coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.[58] She served as the sideline reporter for the curling events at the 2014, 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics.[citation needed]

She also co-hosted the online series That Curling Show with CBC journalist Devin Heroux.[59]

On 6 April 2023, it was announced that she would be retiring from CBC after almost 40 years with the broadcaster.[60]

Personal life and death

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Jones was married to Scott Saunders and had two sons.[61] One of her sons, Luke Saunders is also a curler who currently plays third on the Owen Purcell rink.[7]

Jones died from cancer in Mader's Cove, Nova Scotia, on 25 November 2025, at the age of 65.[62]

Grand Slam record

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Key
C Champion
F Lost in Final
SF Lost in Semifinal
QF Lost in Quarterfinals
R16 Lost in the round of 16
Q Did not advance to playoffs
T2 Played in Tier 2 event
DNP Did not participate in event
N/A Not a Grand Slam event that season
Event 2006–07
Players' SF

Former events

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Event 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11
Autumn Gold Q DNP DNP DNP
Manitoba Lotteries Q DNP DNP Q
Wayden Transportation Q DNP N/A N/A
Sobeys Slam Q DNP N/A Q

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Colleen Patricia Jones CM (December 16, 1959 – November 25, 2025) was a Canadian curler, coach, and retired broadcaster from Halifax, Nova Scotia. She was renowned as the skip of a record six Scotties Tournament of Hearts-winning teams (1982, 1999, 2001–2004), including an unprecedented four consecutive national titles, and two World Women's Curling Championship teams (2001, 2004). With 138 career wins as a skip at the national level, Jones also secured two Canadian Mixed Curling Championships (1993, 1999) and was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 1989 for her pioneering contributions to the sport. Jones began curling at age 14 with the Mayflower Curling Club in Halifax and quickly rose to prominence, skipping Nova Scotia to its first 16 provincial women's titles starting in 1978. At 22, she became the youngest skip ever to win the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in 1982, marking her debut national championship, though she paused competitive play for nearly two decades to focus on family and career. Her remarkable comeback in the late 1990s with teammates Kim Kelly, Mary-Anne Arsenault, and Nancy Delahunt led to a dominant run, culminating in world titles and solidifying her legacy as one of Canada's greatest curlers; she was voted the second-greatest athlete in Nova Scotia history in a 2017 poll. Beyond the ice, Jones had a distinguished 37-year broadcasting career at CBC, starting in 1986 as Halifax's first female sports anchor and later covering 11 Olympic Games, numerous world events, and curling broadcasts alongside legends like Don Wittman and Don Duguid. She retired from CBC in 2023, published her autobiography Throwing Rocks at the House: My Life in Curling and Beyond in 2015, and was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. In recognition of her impact on women's sports and media, Jones was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2022 and invested in 2024. After retiring from broadcasting, she transitioned to coaching, guiding teams like the Heather Smith rink at the 2024 Scotties and her son Luke Saunders' mixed doubles squad at the 2025 Canadian Championship, while being inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame in 2025.

Personal life

Family and early years

Colleen Patricia Jones was born on December 16, 1959, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She grew up in a large family of nine children in Halifax, where her earliest memories centered on shared sibling experiences and her mother's tireless household management, including baking 10 loaves of bread weekly. Her parents did not participate in curling, but her father emphasized outdoor skills like bike riding and sailing, while her mother handled domestic duties with remarkable composure. Jones's introduction to curling came through her sisters, who were active in the sport and inspired her to follow suit as a family tradition. At age 14 in the early 1970s, she joined the Mayflower Curling Club in Halifax, the point at which family members were considered old enough to handle a curling rock. Her initial experiences were non-competitive; she quickly felt at ease on the ice, embracing the sport's rhythms and drawing motivation from her sisters' involvement to hone her basic skills. In her personal life, Jones married Scott Saunders, and the couple has two sons, Zach and Luke. Luke Saunders has followed in his mother's footsteps as a competitive curler, representing Nova Scotia in national events.

Health challenges

In December 2010, Colleen Jones was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis after experiencing severe symptoms while coaching a junior curling team in Halifax; she drove home while vomiting and was rushed to the hospital by ambulance, where she was found to have a cerebrospinal fluid leak contributing to the infection. The life-threatening illness required extended hospitalization and a prolonged recovery period, during which Jones described feeling as though she was "brushing with death," fundamentally altering her perspective on life and resilience. This health crisis directly impacted her brief attempt to return to competitive curling in the 2010–2011 season, forcing her to step back amid ongoing recovery. More than a decade later, on June 10, 2025, Jones underwent hip replacement surgery to address chronic mobility issues accumulated from decades of high-impact athletic activity. Remarkably, just one day later, she received the news of her induction into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame, an honor she attended the announcement for despite the recent procedure. Throughout her 60s, Jones has navigated these and other health obstacles while sustaining demanding commitments to athletics and broadcasting, exemplifying her determination to remain active and engaged in her passions well into later life.

Curling career

Early achievements (1970s–1990s)

Colleen Jones began her competitive curling career as a teenager at the Mayflower Curling Club in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where she quickly established herself as a promising player. At the age of 19, she was part of the Nova Scotia team that won the provincial women's championship in 1979, playing second for skip Penny LaRocque, and represented the province at the Canada Winter Games, where the team captured a silver medal. Her first provincial title as skip came in 1980. Building on this success, Jones skipped Nova Scotia to victory at the inaugural 1982 Scott Tournament of Hearts in Regina, Saskatchewan, becoming the youngest skip at age 22 to win the Canadian women's curling championship. Her team, consisting of third Kay Smith, second Monica Jones (her sister), and lead Barbara Jones-Gordon, advanced through the playoffs by defeating Saskatchewan 11-4 in the semifinal before edging Manitoba 8-7 in the final to claim the title. Jones began her broadcasting career with CBC in 1986, while continuing to compete. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Jones and her evolving teams dominated at the provincial level from the Mayflower Curling Club, adding multiple women's titles, including in 1989 with third Mary Mattatall, second Kim Kelly, and lead Sue Green, which qualified them for the national championship. These club and provincial successes solidified her reputation as a rising talent in Canadian women's curling, with consistent performances highlighting her strategic skipping and precision. She amassed 21 Nova Scotia women's provincial titles over her career. In the mixed discipline, Jones achieved another milestone in 1993 by winning the Canadian Mixed Curling Championship in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, playing third on a rink skipped by her husband, Scott Saunders, with second Tom Fetterly and lead Helen Radford. This victory marked Nova Scotia's first national mixed title and demonstrated Jones's versatility across formats during her early competitive years.

Peak competitive years (1999–2006)

Colleen Jones's peak competitive years began with her second Scotties Tournament of Hearts victory in 1999, where her Nova Scotia team defeated Cathy Borst's Team Canada 6-4 in the final held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. This triumph marked her return to the World Women's Curling Championship after a 17-year absence, as she had previously competed in 1982. Representing Canada in Saint-Iganace, Quebec, in 1999, Jones's rink—comprising third Kim Kelly, second Mary-Anne Arsenault, and lead Nancy Delahunt—finished fifth with a 4-7 record, gaining valuable international experience. Building on this foundation, Jones assembled a dominant core lineup of Kelly at third, Arsenault at second, and Delahunt at lead, achieving an unprecedented four consecutive Scotties titles from 2001 to 2004. The streak started in 2001 in Sudbury, Ontario, with a dramatic 7-6 extra-end victory over Kerry Law's British Columbia team, highlighted by a measurement confirming Jones's final stone as one centimeter closer to the button. They defended successfully in 2002 in Brandon, Manitoba (10-3 over Saskatchewan's Jan Betker), 2003 in Kitchener, Ontario (8-4 over Newfoundland and Labrador's Heidi Robertson), and 2004 in Victoria, British Columbia (9-3 over Quebec's Guylaine Larouche), posting round-robin records as strong as 9-2. This run established Jones as the first skip to win four straight national women's championships, showcasing the team's strategic precision in end-game scenarios and sweeping efficiency. At the international level, Jones's team secured two World Women's Curling Championship titles during this era. In 2001 in Lausanne, Switzerland, they claimed gold by rallying from a 5-2 deficit against Sweden's Anette Norberg in the final, scoring three in the sixth end and stealing two in the seventh for a 9-5 win. Following a 6-5 record in 2002 in Bismarck, North Dakota, they earned silver in 2003 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, after an undefeated 11-0 round-robin but falling 8-5 to the United States' Debbie McCormick in the gold-medal game. The pinnacle came in 2004 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, where Jones defeated Norway's Dordi Nordby 8-4 in the final to secure their second world title, capping a 9-2 round-robin performance and underscoring their adaptability against top European competition. Jones's elite playing career wound down in 2006 after a transitional season. Having missed the 2005 Scotties playoffs, she won the Nova Scotia provincial title that year but finished 6-5 at the national event in Charlottetown. Later that spring, following the breakup of her longtime rink, Jones joined Kay Zinck's team as third for the 2006-2007 season, aiming for a fresh competitive outlet with teammates Mary Mattatall at second and Monica Moriarty at lead. However, she retired from elite-level play after this stint, shifting focus to broadcasting and occasional senior events.

Transitional and later years (2006–present)

Following her dominant run at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts from 1999 to 2004, Colleen Jones transitioned to a supporting role on the ice in 2006, joining Kay Zinck's Halifax-based team as third for the 2006–2007 season after parting ways with her longtime rink. This move marked a departure from her customary position as skip and involved limited competitive play, with the team competing in regional cashspiels and provincial events but not qualifying for national championships during that period. By the end of the season, Jones had returned to skipping her own squad for local competitions, reflecting an adjustment to a less intense schedule amid her growing broadcasting commitments. After a hiatus from elite-level play, Jones mounted a brief comeback in the 2010–2011 season, assembling a new team for senior events, though her efforts were interrupted by a severe bout of bacterial meningitis in December 2010 that required hospitalization and a prolonged recovery. Despite the health setback, which affected her stamina and focus, she rallied to win the 2011 Nova Scotia Senior Women's Championship in February, securing her qualification for the national seniors competition later that year. This victory underscored her resilience, as she skipped her rink—featuring veterans like Nancy Delahunt—to a provincial title at age 51, though the team finished out of the medals at the Canadian event. From 2012 onward, Jones concentrated on senior curling, representing Nova Scotia at the Canadian Senior Women's Curling Championships in 2012 and 2015, where her teams earned a bronze medal in 2012 and a silver in 2015, respectively, against strong competition from provinces like Ontario and Manitoba. Building on this momentum, she led a seasoned rink—including third Kim Kelly, second Mary Sue Radford, and lead Nancy Delahunt—to the gold medal at the 2016 Everest Canadian Senior Curling Championships in Digby, Nova Scotia, defeating Saskatchewan 8-4 in the final after going undefeated in the round robin. This triumph qualified her team to represent Canada internationally the following year. At the 2017 World Senior Curling Championships in Lethbridge, Alberta, Jones skipped Canada to the women's title, capping a 9-1 round-robin record with a 10-5 victory over Scotland in the gold-medal game, marking her first world championship win in the senior category and adding to her legacy as a two-time world champion overall. Following this peak in seniors play, Jones retired from major competitive curling in 2017 at age 57, citing a desire to focus on family, health, and other pursuits, though she briefly referenced a 2025 hip replacement surgery as part of ongoing health management without derailing her involvement in the sport. In recent years, Jones has shifted to coaching and mentorship roles, including guiding Team Purcell—skipped by Sarah Anderson—at the 2025 Shorty Jenkins Classic in Cornwall, Ontario, where the team competed in the women's division against international fields. At age 65, she remains active in club curling at the Mayflower Curling Club in Halifax, participating in recreational leagues and youth development sessions, while avoiding elite tournaments. Over her career, Jones amassed 21 Nova Scotia women's provincial titles—qualifying her for a record number of Scotties appearances—along with two mixed provincial championships and several senior titles, cementing her status as one of the province's most decorated curlers.

Championships and records

Colleen Jones has achieved remarkable success in curling, amassing multiple national and international titles across women's, mixed, and senior categories. As skip, she led teams to six Scotties Tournament of Hearts victories in 1982, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004, tying Jennifer Jones for the most national women's titles by a skip. She also secured two World Women's Curling Championships in 2001 and 2004, along with a silver medal in 2003. In mixed curling, Jones won Canadian titles in 1993 and 1999. Later in her career, she captured the Canadian Senior Women's Championship in 2016 and the World Senior Women's Championship in 2017.
CategoryTitlesYears
Scotties Tournament of Hearts61982, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
World Women's Curling Championship2 (gold), 1 (silver)Gold: 2001, 2004; Silver: 2003
Canadian Mixed Curling Championship21993, 1999
Canadian Senior Women's Championship12016
World Senior Women's Championship12017
Jones holds several notable records in Canadian women's curling. At age 22, she became the youngest skip to win the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in 1982. Her four consecutive national titles from 2001 to 2004 remain a record shared only with Jennifer Jones, marking an unprecedented streak of dominance. Additionally, Jones won 21 Nova Scotia women's provincial titles, the most in provincial history. In Scotties play, she recorded 138 career wins as a skip, and holds the record for most appearances as a skip with 21. Her teams defeated strong opponents, including Sweden's Anette Norberg rink 9-5 in the 2001 world final and Norway's Dordi Nordby rink 8-4 in the 2004 world final.

Grand Slam of Curling participation

The Grand Slam of Curling, launched in 2001 by the World Curling Tour, consists of a series of elite invitational tournaments for men's and women's teams, with events like the Autumn Gold Curling Classic serving as key fixtures in its early format. The series evolved to include four majors by the mid-2000s, emphasizing high-stakes competition with qualification based on rankings and past performance. Colleen Jones's involvement in the Grand Slam began more prominently post-2006, following her dominant run of national and world titles, as she sought to balance competitive play with emerging broadcasting commitments. Jones's participation remained sparse, with fewer than 10 events overall, reflecting her primary focus on representing Canada at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and World Women's Curling Championship during the tour's formative years. In the 2007–08 season, she reached the quarterfinals at the Trail Appliances Autumn Gold Curling Classic in Calgary, Alberta, where her Nova Scotia rink showed competitive form but did not advance further. Her limited elite-level appearances in the Grand Slam were largely attributed to national team duties, which prioritized international preparation over the professional tour circuit, and occasional scheduling overlaps with media obligations. Additionally, Jones took part in exhibition-style events tied to the Grand Slam, such as the Sobeys Shooting Stars mixed doubles showcase in the 2000s, highlighting her versatility in promotional formats rather than core competitive slams. Despite her storied career, Jones secured no major wins in the Grand Slam series, underscoring how her legacy centered on championship-level successes rather than tour dominance.

Broadcasting career

Entry into media

Colleen Jones began her broadcasting career in 1982 as a radio sports reporter at CHUM in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the same year she skippered her team to victory at the Canadian Women's Curling Championship as the youngest winner in its history at age 22. This dual milestone allowed her to leverage her athlete status for local media opportunities, where she covered curling events and other sports on air, establishing her voice in Nova Scotia's sports scene during the early 1980s. In 1984, Jones transitioned to television sports reporting with CTV Atlantic, expanding her role to include on-camera commentary and analysis of curling competitions, which built on her growing reputation as a champion curler. These early positions provided her first taste of national exposure through curling-related interviews and appearances on network affiliates following her competitive successes, setting the stage for her broader media involvement before joining CBC in 1986.

CBC tenure and major coverage

Colleen Jones joined CBC in 1986 as Halifax's first female sports anchor, marking the beginning of a nearly three-decade tenure in sports and news reporting. In 1988, she expanded into curling coverage, teaming up with veterans Don Wittman and Don Duguid to provide commentary for CBC Sports broadcasts. By 1993, Jones had transitioned to CBC Newsworld (now CBC News Network), where she served as the early morning weather presenter and sports reporter for CBC Morning News, while continuing to cover major events. Throughout her CBC career, Jones became a prominent figure in curling broadcasts, hosting and commentating on key tournaments, including the Scotties Tournament of Hearts during her competitive peak from 1999 to 2004, where she balanced on-ice play with media contributions such as athlete interviews and rule explanations. Her work helped popularize curling by demystifying its strategies and fostering viewer engagement through educational segments and post-game analysis. In addition to specialized sports coverage, Jones reported on general news stories across Canada, conducting interviews with athletes and community figures to highlight diverse narratives. Jones's Olympic assignments underscored her expertise in curling, with CBC deploying her for extensive coverage of Winter Games events. She contributed segments on curling at the 2006 Turin Olympics, focusing on team dynamics and competition insights. For the 2010 Vancouver Games, Jones provided curling commentary for NBC's coverage, in addition to her work with CBC. She served as a sideline reporter for curling at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, providing real-time updates and player perspectives. In 2018 at PyeongChang, Jones acted as CBC's on-site reporter for Team Canada's curling efforts, conducting post-match interviews amid high-stakes matches. Her involvement extended to the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where she was part of CBC's reporting team, analyzing performances and contributing to the network's comprehensive curling coverage. Over 11 Olympic assignments in total, Jones's insightful commentary elevated curling's visibility on Canadian television.

Ongoing involvement post-2023

Following her retirement from the CBC curling broadcast team on April 6, 2023, after 37 years of contributions to sports coverage, Colleen Jones maintained an active media footprint through social media and selective guest engagements focused on curling analysis. Her Twitter account (@cbccolleenjones) remains a platform for ongoing commentary on curling events, including congratulations to junior teams and reflections on competitive developments, sustaining her role as a voice in the sport's community. In 2024, Jones appeared as a guest on podcasts such as The Riser, where she discussed curling strategies and the evolution of playoffs, offering insights drawn from her broadcasting experience. She also participated in ceremonial roles at major events, including throwing the opening rock at the 2024 BKT Tires World Women's Curling Championship, blending her media persona with on-site visibility. Throughout 2025, Jones extended her curling-related engagements, attending the Grand Slam of Curling's TCG All-Star Game in Nashville in April, where she joined stars like Jennifer Jones for promotional activities and on-ice demonstrations. In November 2025, following her induction into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame, Jones maintained selective media commentary on curling via social media. Jones's post-retirement activities underscore her broader influence, as her trailblazing career in sports broadcasting continues to mentor aspiring athletes navigating media transitions, exemplified by her public discussions on balancing athletic and on-air roles.

Awards and honors

Hall of Fame inductions

Colleen Jones was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 1989 as a curler, recognizing her early successes including her 1982 Scott Tournament of Hearts victory as the youngest skip at age 22. In 2016, Jones received the Order of Sport, which marked her induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, honoring her overall contributions to Canadian sport through her curling achievements such as six national women's championships and two world titles. Jones's induction into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame was announced on June 11, 2025, just one day after she underwent hip replacement surgery, highlighting the timing's personal significance amid her recovery. The formal induction ceremony took place on November 8, 2025, at the Light House Arts Centre in Halifax, where tributes emphasized her role as a pioneer for women in curling, noting how she paved the way for female athletes and broadcasters in the sport over more than four decades. During the event, celebrations focused on her legacy as a six-time Canadian champion and two-time world champion, with speeches underscoring her influence on Nova Scotia's sporting history.

National and international recognitions

In December 2022, Colleen Jones was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada (C.M.) in recognition of her outstanding contributions to curling as a champion athlete and to broadcasting as a prominent reporter and analyst. She formally received the honour from Governor General Mary Simon during a ceremony in Ottawa on December 12, 2024. Jones's achievements have earned her high rankings in polls assessing Canada's top female curlers and athletes. Additionally, her two world women's curling championships in 2001 and 2004, along with her 2017 world senior title, were officially recognized by the World Curling Federation, affirming her status as a global leader in the sport. At the provincial level, Jones has received notable accolades in Nova Scotia prior to 2025. In 2017, she was voted the second-greatest athlete in the province's history—behind only Sidney Crosby—in a poll conducted by the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame.

References

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