It seemed like a natural assumption. Given the curling prowess displayed by Marymount Regals’ elementary skip Krysta Burns as she guided her team to the Rainbow Elementary Curling title in January, not to mention the natural family tie-in with older sister Kaitlynd (a member of the Vanessa Maloney rink that attended Jr Nationals this year), it’s only fitting that curling would sit as Krysta’s favourite sport.

Not so fast, corrects the well-spoken Grade 7 student and youngest of three children in the family. “Hockey is my favourite” she smiles, although, truth be told, most physical activities appear to meet her approval. “Every sport I’ve tried, I’ve liked.”

While she continues to remain active in soccer, basketball and hockey, she knows that her five or six years of experience, much of which was gleaned with the Idylwydle Little Rocks program, sets her apart from many others attempting the sport for the very first time.

Very patient by nature, Krysta Burns can empathize easily with curling beginners as she recalls her early ventures out on the ice. “I didn’t think it would be that hard to slide down the ice – I don’t remember it really well, but I’m pretty sure I fell a lot”, she admits quite humbly.

And from that, she learned. “You have to be very patient, because you’re not going to get it on the first try – keep working at it, eventually you will get it” she explains of the advice she would provide to any struggling curling freshman.

A definite student of the game who displays signs of strategy use well beyond her years, Burns appears to be an ideal fit as skip, balancing a calmness and willingness to tackle the make or break shots while constantly supporting those around her.

“You can’t get mad at people – if they mess up a shot or if they bump the other team’s rock in, you can’t get mad at them” she acknowledges, noting the importance of keeping her teammates in a positive frame of mind.

Despite her exposure to plenty of intensity-filled curling matches over the years (she attended the Canadian Junior championships with her family in Salmon Arm – B.C. earlier this year), Burns insists it is still just a game.

“The game is not as much fun if you’re really serious”, she says. In many ways, this was in part what made her team that also included Monica Graham, Michela Nero and Christina Mozzon quite so much fun.

“Even during practices, in the middle of nowhere, someone would make a joke a everyone would laugh.” A member of the student athletic association at Maymount Academy, Burns loves the fact that it’s “a school full of spirit.”

It seems a given Krysta Burns will continue to remain involved in athletics throughout her schooling years. Just be sure to expect to see her always doing it with a smile.