Having become the first female athlete to represent Team GB in two curling disciplines last year, Jen Dodds has been invited to pass on her knowhow to the next generation after being selected as a role model for the 2024 Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon.
Dodds played alongside Bruce Mouat as they became the first pair to represent Team GB in mixed doubles, before going on to win gold in the women’s team event in Beijing and she is excited by the prospect of sharing her experience with the youngsters who will follow in her footsteps by making the trip to China.
“It is a real honour to be selected as an athlete role model,” she said. 
“If I can help inspire and help younger athletes learn that’s a real achievement for me.
“The Youth Olympic Games gives a really good insight into what the Olympics is like as this is obviously probably the first time these athletes have competed outside their country or in a multi sport event.
“So getting to know other sports and other athletes from other sports is a real key to the Olympic experience.”
The ambassadorial role fits with Dodds’ plans to broaden her skillset as she looks to ensure that she is fully prepared to build on what she has achieved even once her playing days are over, having recently joined the Women in Sport High Performance Pathway (WISH), a 21-month leadership programme which equips ambitious women coaches to succeed in obtaining jobs at elite levels within their sport.
“I have done a lot in my career so far, so this Is another chapter of it,” said Dodds.
“I have started doing some coaching with British Curling with the performance foundation programme, so again it is another avenue to go down.
“Hopefully I can bring some of my experiences from that to help the athletes and if I can help athletes in any way on their journeys that will be really fulfilling.
“This is actually my first Youth Olympic Games. I never got to go when I was younger, so I think it is also important to highlight that even if you don’t get selected for this event, just take me as an example. I didn’t get to go, but I still won the Olympics so it is not a disaster, even though it might be disappointing at the time. 
“After you don’t get selected if you keep enjoying playing the sport you love and keep that determination, that is all you need and hopefully it will show in the end and work out in the future.”
The announcement of Dodds’ new role has been made while she is on the other side of the Atlantic, preparing to make her return to the team game after focusing exclusively on mixed doubles last season
“It is great to be back in Canada,” she said.
“Oakville is a beautiful place especially just now at 35 degrees and as Scots it is fair to say we are not used to that heat in September – even though I know it is very nice back home just now.
“So we are melting but enjoying the air conditioning and its really good to be back over here and we have had a really good pre-season and now we have just had our first training session in Oakville and the ice is looking great, so we are really looking forward to getting back on ice.”
After going to the World Championships as their fifth player earlier this year, Dodds missed out on her new team’s season’s opener at the Euro Super Series in Stirling last month, she is lining up alongside Rebecca Morrison, Gina Aitken, Sophie Sinclair and Sophie Jackson for the first time this season as they take part in this weekend’s Stu Sells Oakville Tankard (Sept 7-10). 
“I think Oakville is a good event to kick off the season,” she said.
“I think the mixed doubles season was really important for me, the results didn’t go how we wanted but for me personally, mentally and physically I just needed to take that step back and focus on getting back to where I was.
“I said after the Olympics I was pretty burnt out, so just taking that year out let me recover which has been great and this is the strongest I have ever felt, so I am feeling good going into the competitions and mixed doubles is not swept aside.
“We have a couple of competitions planned in this year so I am really looking forward to this season.”
Stu Sells Oakville Tankard results.
Stu Sells Oakville Tankard website and stream.
Team Morrison
Rebecca Morrison
Gina Aitken
Sophie Sinclair
Sophie Jackson
Jen Dodds
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Images: Team GB/David Pearce
