6-time champion Colleen Jones set to return to Scotties as Nova Scotia coach

Colleen Jones was a regular at the Canadian women's curling championship for most of her playing career.

She's set to return to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts next month in a different role.

Jones, a six-time champion who played in a record 21 editions of the national women's playdowns, will be wearing Nova Scotia colours again — this time as a coach — after guiding Heather Smith's team to victory over the weekend in Halifax.

Smith played third and skipped the team to a 6-4 win over Christina Black in a final that went to an extra end. Jill Brothers, who will make her seventh career Hearts appearance, throws fourth stones.

Marie Christianson — who skipped Prince Edward Island in her sixth career Hearts appearance last season — plays second and Erin Carmody, who has played at the nationals on three previous occasions, is lead.

"This team throws the rock really, really well," Jones said. "Their biggest obstacle through the [season] was just getting out of their own head and realizing all the experience they have is really valuable. So to beat Christina was huge."

A few other teams have also booked their tickets for the Feb. 16-25 Hearts at Calgary's WinSport Event Centre.

Skylar Ackerman won in Saskatchewan over the weekend and Melissa Adams took the New Brunswick title. Kerry Galusha was victorious in the Northwest Territories.

They'll join an 18-team field that includes defending champion Kerri Einarson of Gimli, Man., Yukon's Bayly Scoffin and pre-qualified teams skipped by Ottawa's Rachel Homan and Winnipeg's Jennifer Jones.

The top two teams in the Canadian women's rankings that don't qualify via provincial/territorial championships will round out the Hearts field.

Winnipeg's Kaitlyn Lawes has a comfortable lead in